House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) launched an investigation on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, into allegations that the campaign of Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola recruited a candidate with a name similar to her opponent to influence the election. The probe follows a report by The New York Times stating that Peltola’s campaign and national Democratic operatives worked to place a man named Daniel J. Sullivan on the ballot as an independent to peel votes away from incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska).
The New York Times reported on Wednesday, Oct. 28, that Peltola’s campaign staff and Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz sought to recruit individuals named Dan Sullivan to run as spoiler candidates. One such candidate, a retired teacher, registered as a Republican shortly before the filing deadline and remains on the ballot as an independent. While the Alaska Supreme Court allowed the candidate to stay on the ballot in June, Republican officials and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have raised concerns that the move was intended to mislead voters.
Rep. Comer sent letters on Thursday requesting transcribed interviews with Elisa Rios, Peltola’s former campaign manager, and Kurtz. Comer set an interview date of Nov. 5 for Rios and Nov. 6 for Kurtz, warning that he may use subpoenas to compel their testimony if they do not comply. Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) have denied involvement in the recruitment effort.
Voters in Alaska may notice increased legal and political activity regarding the ballot as Election Day approaches on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. The DOJ claims the presence of two names listed as "Dan Sullivan" and "Daniel J. Sullivan" has a "substantial likelihood" of causing confusion. If the DOJ lawsuit or the Oversight Committee probe results in a delay, the final confirmation of Alaska's representation in the Senate could be pushed past the typical post-election deadlines.
Beyond the federal investigation, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy directed the state’s Department of Public Safety on Thursday to determine if state laws were violated. Transcribed interviews for the House probe are currently scheduled for Nov. 5 and 6, while the general election is set for Nov. 3.