President Donald Trump has criticised a federal court ruling that dismissed a lawsuit aimed at blocking the certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate race, should Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan lose. Trump’s post on Truth Social featured a single statement branding the Alaska senate ballot a “SCAM”.
In the upcoming election, Dan Sullivan faces challenger Mary Peltola, who previously held Alaska’s only House seat. Recent polls show Peltola with a narrow lead over Sullivan. Trump has expressed concerns over the inclusion of a second candidate named Sullivan on the ballot, which he claims could confuse voters. The official ballot lists Sullivan as “Sullivan, Dan S,” identifying him as a “Registered Republican” and the incumbent.
The second candidate, “Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr,” is not affiliated with any political party. Trump has insinuated that voters in Alaska might not understand that the term “incumbent” signifies the current officeholder, raising alarm that votes intended for Sullivan could be misdirected.
Trump’s comments followed a ruling by U.S District Judge Sharon Gleason, who rejected a lawsuit seeking to determine if votes for the second Sullivan were miscounted. State officials deemed the lawsuit unfounded, arguing that identifying voters’ intentions without violating their privacy was impossible. In her ruling, Judge Gleason stated that the federal government had not presented a viable method to isolate ballots from the second Sullivan for investigation.
Reports indicated that Peltola’s campaign had connections to efforts encouraging the second Sullivan to enter the race, though he denied any communication with her campaign. Peltola’s team has also rejected these claims, asserting her commitment to fair campaigning.
Previous legal challenges from Republicans to remove the second candidate from the ballot had been dismissed by state courts, including the Alaska Supreme Court. Notably, Trump’s allies have a history of supporting similar candidate tactics in elections.
