Alaska GOP Scores Win Against ‘Other Dan Sullivan’ Candidate

As my colleague Ward Clark reported on May 29, Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) has a new primary challenger named… Dan J. Sullivan. As Clark surmises, it’s Alaska, where the natives delight in their political oddities as much as they do their isolation.

However, with a state that has embraced ranked-choice voting, name recognition is critical; and what a way to confuse people less focused on electoral politics, and get them to vote for the newbie Dan J. Sullivan instead of Alaska’s incumbent senator. 

The Alaska Republican Party (ARP) and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) were on the case, filing a challenge with the Alaska Division of Elections (ADN). They alleged that Dan J. Sullivan was coordinating with Democrat operatives working on behalf of Sen. Sullivan’s Democrat challenger, former Congresswoman Mary Pertola. Candidate Dan J. Sullivan denies this and claims he is a registered Republican.

On Thursday, ADN responded thusly:

The Alaska Division of Elections has preliminarily determined that Dan J. Sullivan from Petersburg is not eligible to run for office, following a probe into allegations from Republicans that he is attempting to rig the election to draw votes from the U.S. senator of the same name.

“Based on a review of the evidence presented and in the Division’s possession, the Division has determined that the preponderance of evidence does not support your eligibility for the office of United States Senator,” Carol Beecher, director of the Division of Elections, said in a letter to Dan J. Sullivan on Wednesday.

Dan J. Sullivan, 69, is a retired teacher from the Southeast Alaska town who entered the race to unseat Republican U.S. Sen Dan Sullivan late last month, shortly before the filing deadline. In response to attacks from Republicans on his candidacy, the Petersburg Sullivan has steadfastly maintained he is running on his own as a legitimate GOP candidate and not in coordination with Democratic operatives.

JUST IN: Alaska Division of Elections has ruled Dan J. Sullivan of Petersburg ineligible to run for office after a probe into Republican allegations that he’s trying to rig the election by drawing votes from U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivanhttps://t.co/OkJHByP0Hl pic.twitter.com/KC1CyXPcv5

— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) June 12, 2026

This decision is not final. Dan J. Sullivan has a week to challenge this decision and make his case that he deserves to remain on the ballot. He has until Thursday, June 18, by 5 p.m. to do so. After that deadline, ADN will issue a final decision.

One complaint said his candidacy is improper because his declaration of candidacy stated that he’s affiliated with the Republican Party, though at the time his political affiliation was “undeclared.”

In response to questions about his voter affiliation, the Petersburg Sullivan has maintained he registered as a Republican earlier this year.

Registered, “as a Republican earlier this year”? Why that’s not suspect at all. Dan J. Sullivan also waited until three days before the deadline to file, so, not exactly a fire in the belly for this race. However, J. Sullivan responded to this temporary disqualification, rallying all Alaskans to decry the decision and call for a fair election.

Non-Sen. Dan Sullivan pushes back after Alaska’s Division of Elections preliminarily finds him ineligible to appear on the ballot. pic.twitter.com/ttDS3lAF4T

— Matthew Choi (@matthewichoi) June 12, 2026

Read More: Alaska’s Senator Dan Sullivan Has a New Challenger: Dan Sullivan

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National Republican groups and the senator have accused him of being a sham candidate who may have worked with Democrats or their supporters to run as a Republican with the intent of helping the senator’s top challenger, Mary Peltola, a former U.S. representative and a Democrat.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee had urged state elections officials to keep his name off the ballot, saying Alaska regulations say a candidate can’t be listed in a way that’s “confusing or misleading to voters or compromises the fairness or neutrality of the ballot.” The group listed concerns and allegations, including that Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign materials appearing to mimic the senator’s; that the candidate had donated to Democrats in the past, including Peltola; and that he appeared to have suddenly registered as a Republican after initially being “undeclared.”

A number of things could be at play here beyond the siphoning of votes from Sen. Dan Sullivan. One is that these electoral challenges, and any fallout from them, are costing the NRSC money. Should candidate Dan J. Sullivan beat back this disqualification and remain on the ballot, it will be curious how well Sen. Sullivan’s campaign can pivot, distinguish him from the pack, and use this name game to their advantage. 

The Alaska primary election is scheduled for August 18, 2026.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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