The Trump administration is suing Alaska to prevent election officials from certifying a Democratic victory in the state’s closely watched Senate race if voter confusion over two candidates named Dan Sullivan affects the outcome. The Justice Department argues that Daniel J. Sullivan, who shares nearly the same name as Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, could siphon votes from the senator and hand the election to Democrat Mary Peltola.
President Donald Trump confirmed Friday that he personally directed the lawsuit.
“Well, I’m the one that said ‘do it,’” Trump told reporters in Florida.
Q: Any thoughts on the Alaska lawsuit?
Trump: I'm the one that said do it. They have two Dan Sullivans. pic.twitter.com/cMumHWUUKI
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 23, 2026
Trump previously accused Democrats of exploiting the similar names to confuse voters. At a recent rally in Alaska, he called the situation “just cheating,” adding, “They found a guy named Dan Sullivan. They put him up to get a little confused.”
The lawsuit asks a federal court to prohibit certification of any election result “impacted by voter confusion” until officials investigate whether voters mistakenly supported the wrong Sullivan.
“Even if a majority of Alaskans wish to vote for Senator Sullivan, Daniel J. Sullivan’s presence on the ballot will result in a victory for Peltola,” the filing states. The Justice Department argues that allowing the results to stand could undermine public confidence in federal elections.
“Alaska’s Division of Elections determined that Mr. Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy was intended to mislead voters and compromise the fairness of the ballot,” a DOJ spokesperson said. “Therefore, the Justice Department, consistent with the National Voter Registration Act enacted by Congress, is taking the necessary steps to ensure that this frivolous candidacy does not undermine the integrity of Alaska’s election or the will of its voters.”
Alaska election officials previously attempted to remove Daniel J. Sullivan from the ballot, explained CNN, but the state Supreme Court ruled that he must remain. Officials have since distinguished the candidates by identifying the incumbent as a registered Republican and senator while listing the other Sullivan without a party affiliation.
The incumbent received 68,726 votes in the primary, compared with 4,107 for Daniel J. Sullivan.
Legal experts have questioned whether federal law gives the Justice Department authority to intervene.
Derek Muller, a Notre Dame Law School professor, called the legal argument “strange and unusual,” noting that Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system allows voters to rank both Sullivans, potentially limiting confusion.
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski also criticized the lawsuit.
“Alaskans don’t need any help voting for their preferred candidates, and the State of Alaska has already handled this by clearly distinguishing the candidates on this year’s ballot. The Department of Justice should never have filed this lawsuit.”
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason, an Obama appointee. The administration has not requested emergency relief.
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