The Justice Department has sued to prevent Alaska officials from certifying the state's U.S. Senate election result if Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan loses under certain conditions tied to a second candidate with a nearly identical name. The complaint was filed in Alaska on Thursday, according to ABC News and Mint. President Donald Trump said Friday that he ordered it. "I'm one that said, 'Do it,'" he told reporters, according to ABC News.
The ballot in the ranked-choice race includes Sullivan, Democrat Mary Peltola, Gerald Heikes and Daniel J. Sullivan, a teacher from Petersburg who appears with no party affiliation. CBS News reported that the sample ballot filed in court lists "Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr." first and "Sullivan, Dan S. (Registered Republican) Incumbent" next.
In the filing, Stanley Woodward, the department's third-ranking official, wrote that Alaska should not certify a result that may be affected by voter confusion. The filing defines that as a case where the senator does not win but would have won if all votes for Daniel J. Sullivan had gone to him under ranked-choice counting. The department cites the National Voter Registration Act. According to CBS News, the complaint says the department would ask for an investigation in that scenario.
Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote on X that the department "does not seek to stop any ballot from being cast or to stop the certification of Alaska's election," but wants ballots preserved so Alaska officials can determine whether voters were confused or misled, CBS News reported. A department spokesperson said the action was meant to ensure "this frivolous candidacy does not undermine the integrity of Alaska's election."
The dispute has a court history. Alaska's elections division earlier sought to remove Daniel J. Sullivan, saying his candidacy was meant to mislead voters. A state judge reversed that, and the Alaska Supreme Court upheld the ruling, allowing him on the ballot. He has denied trying to trick voters. Trump called the situation a "SCAM" on social media Wednesday.
Peltola's campaign called the suit "a despicable political threat to overturn an election." Sullivan's spokesperson said, "We'll let the DOJ complaint run its course." Notre Dame law professor Derek Muller called the department's reading of the law unusual and doubted a court would accept it, Mint reported. Former Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta called the suit "meritless," saying certification is Alaska's responsibility. ABC News said the Alaska Secretary of State's office and Daniel J. Sullivan's campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
