Washington — A candidate for the U.S. Senate in Alaska named Daniel J. Sullivan has been deemed ineligible for the state’s primary ballot. Alaska election officials announced the decision on Monday, citing a “determined effort and a deliberate attempt” to confuse voters.
Daniel J. Sullivan recently declared his candidacy against sitting Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. This announcement sparked confusion among voters and concern among Republican officials months before the August primary.
On Monday, Elections Director Carol Beecher sent a letter to Daniel J. Sullivan. She stated that his candidacy was not a genuine attempt to run for the office but was intended to confuse or mislead voters, thereby affecting the neutrality of the ballot.
Beecher highlighted attempts by Daniel J. Sullivan to file under the name “Dan Sullivan,” a version of his name never used for voting purposes. She pointed out that he also attempted to use the middle initial “S,” identical to that of Senator Dan Sullivan. Beecher also noted similarities between their campaign websites, indicating a purposeful imitation of Senator Sullivan’s campaign.
The incumbent senator addressed reporters earlier this month, accusing Democrats of being “complicit in trying to trick Alaskans” and attempting to manipulate the election results. The National Republican Senatorial Committee, alongside Alaska Republicans, had been urging the removal of Daniel J. Sullivan from the ballot.
Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom initiated an investigation last week into Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy. Beecher pointed out connections between a political consultant for Daniel J. Sullivan and the Democratic Party, including ties to Sen. Sullivan’s expected Democratic challenger, former Rep. Mary Peltola.
Daniel J. Sullivan has a 30-day window to appeal the exclusion decision. The upcoming Alaska Senate race is predicted to be highly competitive, with Democrats aiming to secure the seat as part of their strategy to gain control of the Senate chamber. Despite this, winning in Alaska remains challenging, as President Trump won the state by 13 points in 2024.
Kaia Hubbard also contributed to this report.
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