Alaska governor orders investigation into Peltola's Senate campaign
After a report that a second "Dan Sullivan" was allegedly recruited, Alaska's Republican governor orders a probe. Peltola calls it a "distraction"; Trump says she should be prosecuted.
Archive image · Photo: Office of Representative Mary Peltola / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (cropped and resized)
Days before the midterm elections, Alaska's Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy has ordered an investigation into the campaign of Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola, The Associated Press reported. Dunleavy posted the order overnight on social media, saying a New York Times report "reveals disturbing new evidence of an organized effort to manipulate Alaska's elections by recruiting candidates." "Deliberately tricking voters into casting their ballots for someone else strikes at the integrity of our elections," he added. The AP report did not say which agency would conduct the probe.
At issue is the candidacy of Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired schoolteacher from Petersburg who shares a name with Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. According to the Times, Peltola's team and a Democratic operative tried to coax candidates into the race to split Sullivan's support. State election officials initially ruled the candidacy misleading, but the Alaska Supreme Court allowed it. Sullivan Jr. denies any contact with Peltola's campaign, which told CBS News it has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.
Peltola rejected the allegations. "This is just another distraction," she said at a campaign stop in Soldotna. President Donald Trump had said earlier: "I think they should be prosecuted." The Justice Department has already sued to block certification if Sen. Sullivan loses because of voter "confusion." Democrats deny any role. The race is among those expected to decide control of the Senate.