Operatives working with Democrat Mary Peltola’s Senate campaign sought to recruit candidates who could draw votes from Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska, according to an investigation published Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The effort included finding another Alaskan named Dan Sullivan to run against the incumbent, recruiting other potential candidates, and discussing the creation of a conservative political party, The New York Times reports, citing interviews, text messages, and documents prepared for a potential lawsuit.<\/p>\n
Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee denied recruiting candidates.<\/p>\n
“The Alaskans for Mary campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign and did not recruit any candidates into the race,” the campaign said in a statement to the Times.<\/p>\n
The operation, internally called the ballot composition project, began in summer 2025, according to Elisa Rios, Peltola’s former campaign manager. Rios said campaign aides directed a staff member to search voter records for Alaskans named Dan Sullivan.<\/p>\n
Dan J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher in Petersburg, subsequently entered the race. He has maintained that he decided to run independently and did not respond to the Times’ latest requests for comment.<\/p>\n
The general election ballot includes Peltola, incumbent Dan S. Sullivan, Dan J. Sullivan, and Republican Gerald Heikes. The race could help determine control of the Senate.<\/p>\n
Sullivan Jr. changed his voter registration from Republican to undeclared, a type of independent, when he requested an absentee ballot for the August primary, according to state election records, reports The Alaska Beacon.<\/p>\n
He appears on the general election ballot as “Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.,” without a party label. Incumbent Sen. Sullivan is identified by his party and incumbency.<\/p>\n
Dan J. Sullivan initially denied requesting the registration change but acknowledged it after election officials provided his application.<\/p>\n
He maintains that he is running to offer voters an alternative, while President Donald Trump and other Republicans accuse him of trying to undermine the incumbent.<\/p>\n
The Justice Department has sued to pause certification unless the incumbent wins, arguing that the similar names could confuse voters. Polling shows the incumbent and Democrat Mary Peltola well ahead of Dan J. Sullivan and Republican Gerald Heikes.<\/p>\n
Rios, who was fired during an August staff shake-up, told the Times that Peltola knew about the project but was not directly involved.<\/p>\n
“Alaskan voters need to know,” Rios said. “There was a lot of speculation, and voters should get the full picture when making their decisions.”<\/p>\n
Rios later sought to retract her statements as the newspaper prepared to publish. She had been considering a wrongful termination lawsuit against the campaign but had not filed one.<\/p>\n
“As discussed on our call earlier today, I am confirming that I have retracted all statements made regarding the 2026 Alaska Senate Race in connection with any article you may or may not be writing,” Rios wrote. “I am not willing to be a source for any story in any capacity.”<\/p>\n
The Times said her interviews were on the record and consistent with other reporting. Its investigation included interviews with 12 people and dozens of text messages.<\/p>\n
Rios identified Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz as a central participant. She said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee aides introduced him to campaign officials and that he later reported contacting the Sullivan who lives in Petersburg.<\/p>\n
Kurtz did not respond to the newspaper’s requests for comment.<\/p>\n
Matthew Salisbury, a former House candidate, told the Times that a man identifying himself only as Zane repeatedly encouraged him to run for Senate and offered support through outside spending. Salisbury identified Kurtz from a photograph as the man he met.<\/p>\n
“I’m not naive,” Salisbury said. “I had to have that general idea that they’re not in it for me.”<\/p>\n
Salisbury did not enter the race.<\/p>\n
The Times also reported that Kurtz encouraged Democrat David Leslie to withdraw after Leslie advanced from the August primary. His departure allowed Heikes to take the fourth general election ballot position.<\/p>\n
Heikes said a man from the Midwest recruited him but did not think the man resembled Kurtz’s photograph.<\/p>\n
The newspaper also obtained messages discussing a proposed MAGA party that could attract conservative candidates. That plan was abandoned in May.<\/p>\n
Questions about financial support remain disputed. Federal records showed that the pro-Peltola 49th State PAC paid Wingspan Strategies, a firm Kurtz co-owns, about $87,000 this fall, the Times reported. The PAC said it had never hired or paid Kurtz to perform services.<\/p>\n
Political consultant Jim Lottsfeldt denied Rios’ account that he agreed during a dinner with campaign employees to help support long-shot candidates through outside spending. He also denied an association with Alaska Values, a super PAC supporting Heikes, despite his name appearing on advertising paperwork.<\/p>\n
Alaska’s nonpartisan primary system allows candidates to select a party affiliation without party approval, with four candidates advancing to a ranked-choice general election.<\/p>\n
Republicans unsuccessfully challenged Dan J. Sullivan’s candidacy, arguing he was not a good-faith candidate. The Alaska Supreme Court ruled in June that neither state law nor the U.S. Constitution provided grounds to remove him.<\/p>\n
The Justice Department sued last week at President Donald Trump’s urging, seeking to block certification if votes for Dan J. Sullivan cost the incumbent victory.<\/p>\n
Both parties have used tactics to influence Alaska’s ballot. In 2024, the state Republican Party supported an effort to keep a Democratic candidate who was incarcerated in New York on the ballot against Peltola.<\/p>\n
\u00a9 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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