Confusion over a second candidate named Dan Sullivan running in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race has escalated, with incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) saying supporters have told him they mistakenly voted for the wrong candidate.
The controversy began after The New York Times reported that Mary Peltola’s campaign had allegedly solicited a second Dan Sullivan to appear on the ballot, in what the report described as an effort to draw votes away from the Republican incumbent. News Nation separately interviewed a voter who said he was unsure whether he had voted for the correct Dan Sullivan, saying he had intended to vote for the sitting senator.
Sen. Sullivan addressed the issue directly, posting on social media: “I’ve heard from people who think they’ve voted for the wrong guy and have apologized to me. Just like I said, the scheme is working.”
Adding to voter confusion, a flyer circulated in Alaska lists three names: Mary Peltola, Gerald Heikes, and Dan J. Sullivan Jr. — identified as a Republican — according to reporting from Fox’s Matt Finn. The flyer does not include the incumbent, Dan S. Sullivan. A group called Alaska Values PAC has said it paid for the flyer and says it is not affiliated with any of the candidates.
Gerald Heikes, also named on the flyer, told the Times he was recruited to run “by a guy from the Midwest,” according to the report.
Finn reported that some Peltola supporters in Alaska have rejected the Times story outright, calling it “lies,” “rubbish” and “BS,” and in some cases attributing the report to Republicans or “white supremacists.” The Times report was based on 12 sources, according to Finn’s reporting.
Not all voters have dismissed the report. Other Alaska voters have said they are switching their votes away from Peltola in light of the allegations, according to separate reporting cited in coverage of the race.
The developments come as Alaska’s Senate race remains closely watched ahead of the 2026 midterms, with control of Congress at stake.
