Alaska Senate hopeful Peltola says she knew nothing about “Dan Sullivan” ballot scheme
Democratic candidate Mary Peltola denied any knowledge of a plan that placed two Dan Sullivans on the Alaska Senate ballot.
Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola said Thursday she had no knowledge of an alleged “scheme” that resulted in two men named Dan Sullivan appearing on the Alaska Senate ballot.
“I just want to clear the air,” Peltola told voters. “I knew nothing about any other candidate on the ballot except for me and the incumbent. That is all I have ever known about. I am not interested in tricking voters.”
The incumbent, Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, and his allies have accused Democrats of trying to confuse voters by fielding a second Dan Sullivan.
Alaska’s Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered an official inquiry earlier this week into the alleged scheme, though the inquiry’s target crimes were not detailed.
The controversy intensified after The New York Times reported that people connected to Peltola’s campaign and senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee attempted to recruit Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from a remote fishing village, as a spoiler candidate.
The newspaper said it had seen text messages and interviewed twelve people who were either participants in or aware of the plan, or who were potential candidates the team also tried to recruit. The BBC has not independently verified the reporting.
Both Peltola’s campaign and Dan J. Sullivan have denied any connection to the alleged recruitment effort.
Despite the denials, the Department of Justice has begun issuing subpoenas to Democratic officials allegedly tied to the effort, according to CBS News, the BBC’s U.S. news partner.
The Alaska Senate race is viewed by analysts as one of the tightest contests in the upcoming midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress.
