When Alaskan voters fill out their ballot in November, two of the four candidate choices will be Dan Sullivan.
Sen. Dan S. Sullivan is the Republican incumbent running to keep his elected seat.
Dan J. Sullivan is a former school teacher who some believe filed his candidacy with an intent to confuse voters and take away votes from the incumbent, assisting in victory for the Democratic candidate, former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola.
Now, a third Dan Sullivan has jumped into the debate.
“As the OG Dan Sullivan, I urge Alaskans to vote for Sen. Daniel S. Sullivan,” said Dan A. Sullivan, former Republican mayor of Anchorage, in a post on social media. “He’s been great for Alaska.”
Alaska uses a ranked choice voting system, meaning the top four candidates from the primary election will be on the ballot in November, where voters will rank them in order of preference.
Unofficial results from Alaska’s primary election reveal that both Dan J. and Dan S. will be on the general election ballot in November, alongside Peltola. Results also suggest David Leslie, a Fairbanks activist, will be the fourth candidate.
Sen. Dan S. Sullivan and Peltola are by far the most popular candidates, receiving 42% and 49% of the primary vote, respectively. Dan J. Sullivan, listed on the ballot as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. and not given a party identity, received only 2% of the vote, putting him in a distant third.
However, the ranked choice system means that the former teacher could have an influence on the race even if he doesn’t win. Republicans worry that voters may be confused and vote for Dan J. instead of Dan S., taking crucial votes in such a tight race.
The Alaska Senate race is inching toward a toss-up, according to The Cook Political Report, and the state could be a significant victory for either side as both fight for a majority in Congress.
The backstory of the double Dan Sullivans
When Dan J. Sullivan initially filed his candidacy, Sen. Dan S. Sullivan accused him of pulling a “dirty political trick” and threatened a lawsuit.
The incumbent worried having two Dan Sullivans on the ballot could confuse voters and cost him votes, and said Dan J. was acting as a Democratic plant to benefit Peltola.
Dan J. Sullivan said he has had “zero, none, zilch” contact with Peltola’s campaign.
Following the complaints made by the incumbent, an Alaskan state elections official ruled Dan J. Sullivan was not eligible to run.
Carol Beecher, director of the division of elections in Alaska, said she was “forced to conclude” that the teacher’s candidacy was “not filed in good faith for the purpose of genuinely pursuing election” as an Alaskan senator.
“Rather, these facts force the conclusion that your declaration of candidacy was filed with the purpose of confusing or misleading the electorate and compromising the fairness of the ballot,” Beecher said in a letter to Dan J. Sullivan.
Shortly after, Dan J. Sullivan sued for a spot on the ballot and succeeded when the Alaskan Supreme Court ruled he was qualified to run.
President Donald Trump has endorsed the incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, referring to him as the “REAL DAN SULLIVAN.”
“Vote for the ‘INCUMBENT SENATOR,’” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “Don’t let these Fraudsters get away with this HOAX.”