President Trump escalated his attack on Democratic Senate hopeful Mary Peltola on Wednesday, insisting she should be removed from Alaska's ballot after a New York Times report detailed an alleged scheme by her campaign to recruit a candidate with the same name as the incumbent Republican senator.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump characterized the reported effort as “ELECTION FRAUD,” claiming that Peltola’s team found a man named Dan Sullivan, placed him on the ballot, and then lied to a court about their involvement. “That’s perjury,” he wrote, adding that neither Peltola nor the “FAKE Dan Sullivan” should be permitted to run.
The Times reported that aides to Peltola’s campaign, along with lawyers and staffers from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), were involved in pushing other candidates into the race—including Daniel J. Sullivan, a name identical to that of the sitting senator, Dan Sullivan. The apparent goal was to split conservative votes and create confusion in a state where ranked-choice voting could complicate the outcome.
Both the Peltola campaign and the DSCC have categorically denied any involvement. In a statement, the campaign said it “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign” and that it is focused on “lowering costs and fixing the rigged system in DC.” The DSCC similarly dismissed the allegations as baseless.
Legal experts note that the tactics described are not illegal. The Times itself pointed out that such ballot-placement maneuvers are common in American politics and have been used by both parties in past elections. Still, the controversy has added fuel to an already heated race that nonpartisan forecasters rate as a toss-up.
The dispute reached federal court earlier this week when the Justice Department filed a lawsuit seeking to block certification of the Senate election results if incumbent Dan Sullivan loses, citing the presence of two Sullivans on the ballot. Peltola’s campaign has moved to dismiss that case, and a judge has expedited the proceedings to resolve the matter quickly.
Trump’s intervention underscores the national importance of the Alaska contest. He and Vice President Vance have both traveled to the state to campaign for Sullivan, while Democrats see Peltola as a strong challenger in a state she previously represented in the House. The outcome could help determine control of the Senate.
The controversy has also drawn attention to broader questions about election integrity, a theme Trump has repeatedly emphasized. In a related development, California’s ballot security crisis has sparked similar debates, though without evidence of fraud. Meanwhile, the Trump-backed push to allow Brazil’s former president into the U.S. has raised eyebrows, as has his recent pause on Iran policy that analysts say lacks clear objectives.
