Key facts
- Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. is suing Alaska election officials to stay on the U.S. Senate primary ballot.
- He was removed from the ballot due to his name being similar to incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.
- The challenger argues Alaska law does not regulate the private motivations for declaring candidacy.
- The candidate is a former U.S. Forest Service employee and elementary school teacher.
- The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) had asked for an investigation into whether Daniel Sullivan intended to confuse voters.
A U.S. Senate candidate in Alaska, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., has filed a lawsuit to remain on the primary ballot after election officials determined he was ineligible due to his name's similarity to incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.
In a letter to the candidate, Carol Beecher, director of the Division of Elections, stated that Daniel Sullivan's candidacy was not filed in good faith but rather to "confuse or mislead and to thereby compromise the ballot’s fairness or neutrality." The incumbent Sullivan and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) had previously raised concerns about potential voter confusion.
Daniel Sullivan's legal challenge argues that Alaska law does not regulate the "private motivations that draw individuals to declare or campaign for office." Upon launching his bid, the challenger criticized the incumbent for not prioritizing Alaska and stated, "It’s time for Alaska to elect a Sullivan that’s on their side."
The NRSC had requested that Alaska officials and the Federal Election Commission (FEC) investigate whether Daniel Sullivan's entry into the race was intended to confuse voters and potentially aid Democratic candidate Mary Peltola. Peltola's campaign has denied any connection to Daniel Sullivan's campaign. The NRSC complaint also alleged that political strategist Amber Lee, who has worked with Democratic clients, helped the challenger launch his campaign for free, which would violate federal law.