Alaska voters will have a confusing choice to make at the ballot box in the August primaries when they’ll be asked to vote for their next Republican Senate candidate: incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan or his challenger, Dan Sullivan.
Dan J. Sullivan, a former educator and U.S. Forest Service employee, announced Friday that he was throwing his hat into the race and challenging the incumbent senator with whom he shares a first and last name.
“For too long, Senator Sullivan has failed to put Alaska first,” Dan J. Sullivan said in a statement, claiming he wants to unseat the incumbent to help restore accountability and public service to Washington, D.C.
Though he has no political experience, Dan J. Sullivan’s introduction to the race could make Senator Dan S. Sullivan’s re-election bid more complicated as he tries to fend off Democrat Mary Peltola, a former representative of Alaska.
But some Republicans believe Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign is an effort by Democrats, including Peltola, to confuse voters and potentially take votes away from the incumbent.
“Mary Peltola and Chuck Schumer know they can’t beat Senator Sullivan on his record, so they’re resorting to deceitful political maneuvers that attempt to trick Alaskans and buy a seat,” Nick Puglia, a regional press secretary for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told the Anchorage Daily News.
Harry Child, a spokesperson for the Peltola campaign, denied being involved in, encouraging or soliciting Dan J. Sullivan to run for office, according to the Anchorage Daily News.
Child later told the New York Times, “It doesn’t matter who else is on the ballot. Mary is going to win by building a broad coalition of Alaskans ready to take on the rigged system and put Alaska first.”
The Independent has asked Senator Sullivan’s office, Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign, the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Peltola’s campaign for comment.
Local politicians are less skeptical that Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign intended to confuse.
Alaska state Rep. Sara Hannan told the New York Times that Dan J. Sullivan has a reputation for being a traditional Republican unhappy with Senator Sullivan because he supports President Donald Trump. Another state representative, Rebecca Himschoot, said Dan J. Sullivan was a popular teacher in the Petersburg area.
Gary Stevens, the Republican president of the Alaska Senate, told the New York Times he thought it was “pretty unlikely” that Dan J. Sullivan was a plant – though he contended it could be confusing for voters.
While there is concern for confusion, Alaska election rules say that middle initials are present on a ballot if two candidates have the same first and last name.
