President Donald Trump on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, called for the removal of Democratic candidate Mary Peltola and a similarly named challenger from the Alaska Senate ballot. The request followed a report by The New York Times alleging that Democratic operatives recruited "spoiler" candidates to draw votes away from incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska). On the social media platform Truth Social, Trump characterized the reported recruitment as election fraud and accused Democrats of committing perjury during court proceedings regarding the ballot.
The New York Times reported that Peltola campaign aides, lawyers, and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) staffers were involved in recruiting candidates, including a retired teacher named Daniel J. Sullivan. The newspaper identified Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz as a central figure who reportedly used an assumed name to court potential candidates in Alaska. The investigation also alleged that a Republican candidate, Gerald Heikes, was recruited to fill a spot on the ranked-choice ballot after a Democrat was urged to withdraw.
The Peltola campaign and the DSCC have denied any involvement in candidate recruitment. In a statement, the campaign said it is focused on policy and "did not recruit any candidates into the race." Daniel J. Sullivan stated he entered the race of his own volition. Former Peltola campaign manager Elisa Rios told the Times that Peltola was "definitely aware" of the project, though Rios later sought to retract her statements. The Times noted that "ballot stacking," or recruiting candidates to split an opponent's vote, is generally legal and common in both parties.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit to block the certification of the results if the incumbent loses, citing voter confusion. A federal judge has expedited this litigation. If the certification is blocked, Alaskans could face a period without a seated senator following the November election.
The knock-on effects include a test of Alaska’s unique ranked-choice voting system. While the Alaska Supreme Court upheld the second Sullivan's right to be on the ballot, the federal DOJ's intervention signifies a shift toward direct federal involvement in state-run elections. The final outcome of the case and the election will be determined in November, but court dates for the state's motion to dismiss the DOJ lawsuit have been expedited.