Democrats eye potential Senate flip in Alaska with 2 Republican Dan Sullivans on the ballot
A critical primary in Alaska on Tuesday could potentially determine control of the Senate next year in a race with more than a dozen candidates -- two of them named Dan Sullivan.
Republican incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump, will face off against former Democratic congresswoman Mary Peltola in the state's open top-four primary.
The Senate race heated up earlier this summer when the two-term incumbent found himself challenged by Dan J. Sullivan, a retired fifth-grade teacher who describes himself as a pragmatic Republican. But Sen. Sullivan calls him a “sham” candidate who he claims was planted by Democrats to confuse voters.
President Donald Trump weighed in on Friday, calling Dan J. Sullivan's campaign Democratic "trickery."
Other Republicans have complained and the Justice Department said it was investigating.
Alaska’s Division of Elections, overseen by Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, ruled in June that challenger Sullivan should be removed from the ballot because it determined his candidacy was not in good faith and was meant "to confuse or mislead and to thereby compromise the ballot’s fairness or neutrality."
Dan J. Sullivan sued and the Alaska Supreme Court eventually sided with him in late June to keep him on the ballot. Because of the state’s nonpartisan top-four primary election system, it is possible for both Sullivans and Peltola to be on the ballot in November.
Democrats are eagerly boosting Peltola, who has won a statewide race before -- elected to represent Alaska’s at-large congressional district in 2022. Peltola was the first indigenous member of Congress and first woman to hold Alaska's House seat and she is leaning into her more moderate platform points.
The Last Frontier State voted for Trump during all three of his presidential runs but Democrats are hoping rising prices and dissatisfaction with his administration could swing more moderate voters in their favor.
A political dynasty could grow as well, with the prominent Begich family name appearing in two Alaska races: GOP Rep. Nick Begich III, who defeated Peltola in 2024 is running for reelection in the state’s sole congressional district; his uncle, former state Senate Minority Leader Tom Begich, is running for governor as a Democrat.
Current GOP Gov. Mike Dunleavy is term-limited after having served two consecutive terms, creating an open field in the gubernatorial primary. Alaska has not had a Democratic governor since 2002. Former Gov. Bill Walker, who served from 2014 to 2018, is also hoping to reclaim his seat as an independent candidate.
On Alaska's ballot, and all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, are listed together and voters cast their ballot for one candidate.
Unlike traditional primary elections, the Alaska primary does not determine a political party’s nominee -- instead, the four candidates with the most votes advance to the general election.
Polls are open until 8 p.m. local time.
