Trump repeats disputed Alaska Senate namesake allegation

Alaska’s two Sullivan Senate candidates have similar names but different official ballot entries. Donald Trump has repeated an allegation that Democrats recruited the challenger to confuse voters; the recruitment claim remains disputed. [1] [3] [8]

Trump’s Truth Social endorsement dated 3 October 2026 repeats the written message and video that appeared on 18 September. The statement gives incumbent Senator Dan S. Sullivan Trump’s “Complete and Total Endorsement”. In the video, Trump describes the challenger as having the “exact same name”, calls the alleged recruitment “cheating” and says it is intended to delegitimise the election. [1] [2] [5]

Alaska’s official general-election register lists the incumbent as “Sullivan, Dan S.” and the challenger as “Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr.” Both are registered Republicans. Mary Peltola, also a certified candidate in the Senate race, is registered as a Democrat. [3]

Associated Press reported on 2 June that Senator Sullivan had alleged coordination by Democrats and Peltola’s campaign. Peltola’s campaign denied involvement with either Sullivan campaign, and the Alaska Democratic Party denied affiliation with either candidate. [8]

Alaska Beacon reported in August on a possible federal investigation involving the namesake candidacy, citing NBC News’ anonymously sourced account of grand-jury subpoenas. The challenger, a consultant who helped start his campaign and Peltola’s campaign said at the time that they had received none. The US Attorney’s Office would neither confirm nor deny an investigation. [10]

Alaska’s Division of Elections had initially excluded the challenger, saying his candidacy was intended to confuse voters. At the Alaska Supreme Court hearing, the division’s lawyer cited his choice of Republican affiliation when filing and an initial request to appear on the ballot as “Dan S. Sullivan”. Hours after requesting that ballot name, the challenger emailed a correction.