Alaska Senate Candidate Mary Peltola Denies Role in Dan Sullivan Spoiler Run
A New York Times report links Peltola's campaign to a retired teacher sharing her opponent's name, prompting a state criminal investigation.
By Matthew Collins ·
Four seats stand between Democrats and a Senate majority, and one of them is the Alaska race currently polled as a toss-up. Recent numbers show Democratic candidate Mary Peltola holding a slight lead, but her position has been complicated by a dispute over a challenger with a confusingly similar name.
Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan accused Peltola of treating Alaskan voters with disdain. Speaking on CNN's State of the Union, Sullivan argued that her campaign tried to confuse the electorate. He cited a New York Times report that relied on interviews and campaign finance documents. The article alleged that Peltola's team and national Democrats recruited Dan J. Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher, to run as a spoiler.
Peltola rejected the claim. In an interview with PBS, she stated, "I honestly have no idea," when asked about the recruitment efforts. She described the media focus on the second Sullivan as a distraction from pressing issues, specifically high prices driven by the war in Iran. Her campaign continues to emphasize lowering costs and fixing systemic problems in Washington, D.C.
The dispute has moved beyond the campaign trail. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered a criminal investigation, according to CNBC. Investigators are working to determine if any laws were broken during the recruitment of the retired teacher.
The race remains closely watched. With polls showing a narrow margin, the outcome of the election is uncertain as Alaskans cast their ballots.
Source: WGVL
