Alaska Governor Orders Probe Into Alleged Same‑Name Candidate Scheme in Senate Race

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has directed the Department of Public Safety to investigate claims that the Democratic campaign for U.S. Senate, led by candidate Mary Peltola, attempted to recruit a retired teacher named Dan Sullivan to run in the race, thereby creating a same‑name candidate to confuse voters. The allegation comes from a New York Times report that said Peltola’s team and senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee sought to recruit the teacher, who shares the name of incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, to dilute the Republican vote. The teacher, who lives in a remote fishing village, denies any ties to the campaign and says he is running as a moderate Republican. The investigation will determine whether the alleged scheme violates Alaska election laws and whether criminal or civil action is warranted. The Senate race is one of the tightest contests in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections, with the outcome potentially affecting congressional control.