President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that votes cast for an independent Senate candidate in Alaska should be reassigned to the Republican incumbent who shares the same name. The request comes as Alaska officials continue to tally ballots from the November 3 midterm elections.
The 2026 midterm results showed a shift in government leadership, with Democrats gaining control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In Alaska, Republican Senator Dan Sullivan is facing a challenge from an independent candidate also named Dan Sullivan. President Trump referred to the independent challenger as the "Fake Dan Sullivan" and another candidate as a "slug," asserting that their combined vote totals belong to the incumbent.
In other election news, votes are still being counted in Mississippi, where Democrat Scott Colom is challenging Republican incumbent Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. Additionally, Ohio elected Amy Acton as governor. Acton reportedly declined a concession call from Republican Vivek Ramaswamy following a campaign advertisement that featured her estranged mother. In Texas, James Talarico won a race.
In Alaska, the presence of two candidates with the same name, Dan Sullivan, has led to a dispute over voter intent. The scale of the impact on the final count—specifically how many votes were cast for the independent Sullivan—was not reported.
Looking ahead, the Republican party is undergoing a period of internal review following the losses. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) attributed the results to a "lack of productivity" from the party during a Wednesday night television appearance. In Washington, the president reportedly criticized Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller regarding the scale of deportation operations. Final election certifications in Alaska and Mississippi are pending as counting continues.