GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan draws an unusual opponent in Alaska's primary -- and he's not happy about it

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By BECKY BOHRER and KEVIN FREKING
Updated 7:43 PM CDT, June 2, 2026

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan is running for reelection in Alaska and faces a field of 15 competitors. One of them is Dan Sullivan.

The senator told reporters in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday that he thinks the appearance on the state’s primary ballot of another Republican with the same name is a dirty political trick coordinated by Democrats and the campaign of his chief rival for the seat, former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola. He threatened a lawsuit to get to the bottom of it.

“Everybody in Alaska knows I’m Dan Sullivan-R. So he’s trying to do that. Why?” the senator said of the other Dan Sullivan. “He’s not an R. He’s purposely trying to trick my constituents to rig the election for Peltola.”

A spokesman for the Peltola campaign, Harry Child, said it “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.” Jenny-Marie Stryker, executive director of the Alaska Democratic Party, said her organization “is in no way affiliated with either Dan Sullivan.”

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/alaska-senate-dan-sullivan-name-ballot-peltola-5d807b1c828c338ac3e94b342f47c3ec

[RockRaven]

1. I have zero expectation that there will be sufficient confusion-voting to matter, but

it would be a lot cooler if there were.

[rpannier]

7. The republican Sullivan will likely have an I after his name or some other signifier as incumbent

[Karasu]

8. They're BOTH Republicans. Which is the most hilarious part of all.

[pat_k]

2. I sure hope this is not a Dem-inspired dirty trick.

The asshole Glenn Morgan here in WA recruited multiple Robert Fergusons.

Following cease-and-desist warnings from the attorney general’s campaign, both men withdrew prior to the filing deadline, leaving the current Washington Governor, Bob Ferguson, as the only candidate with that name on the ballot.

I agree we need to battle GOP redistricting with Dem redistricting, but this sort of dirty trick -- recruiting people with the same name to confuse things -- is too much of an asshole-ish stretch for me.

[Betty Boom]

3. This is funny as hell

I doubt many people will be confused, but nonetheless the fact that it’s causing Sullivan to throw a hissy fit makes me laugh out loud

[ChicagoTeamster]

4. I once worked for a Republican boss who hired an applicant who's first name was Joe to replace an employee named Joe

who had left the company because he thought the customers were too dumb or indifferent (like him) to notice.

[LuvLoogie]

5. I'd be like, "Cool. I get to not vote for you twice."

Fuck the GOP

[Mawspam2]

6. See Eddie Murphy in The Distinguished Gentleman.

Vote for Dan Sullivan, the name you know!

[Javaman]

9. LOL

?si=hqGV9RCVy2lhfERV

[Simeon Salus]

10. "Who the hell put you up to this?"

[Deminpenn]

11. In Pennsylvania years ago, a guy named Tom Foley

win a statewide row office because many voters thought he was Tim Foli, a SS for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

This also happened with a candidate named Bob Casey who won because he had the same name as the popular Dem governor.

[Callie1979]

12. There was a case like this just a couple yrs ago in FL

Someone hired a guy with the same name as the incumbent
He got arrested for it

[maxsolomon]

13. More likely Dan Sullivan the bartender from Petersburg Alaska

thought it would be a dirty trick.

But he's a Republican and IOKIYAR so F you Dan Sullivan, incumbent Senator.