Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan Faces Potential Confusion from Similarly Named Challenger Dan J. Sullivan in Alaska Senate Race

Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan will face a similarly named challenger, Dan J. Sullivan, in Alaska's upcoming Senate race. While both candidates are registered Republicans, the incumbent senator has criticized the newcomer as a "sham" candidate allegedly running at the behest of Democrats to split the GOP's vote. State and federal prosecutors are currently investigating whether the candidacy of Dan J. Sullivan is a conspiracy to confuse voters. However, Alaska's ranked-choice voting system may mitigate the impact of the confusion, as it allows voters to rank multiple candidates. If voters choose the incumbent first, his votes will likely filter down from the other Sullivan. The race is expected to be one of the most contested in the country. Democratic challenger Mary Peltola is currently neck-and-neck with the incumbent. While the administration announced the general election results, the GOP remains focused on educating voters to ensure they do not inadvertently vote for the wrong Sullivan.

Sources

• PBS
  Republican with same name as incumbent Dan Sullivan advances from Alaska U.S. Senate primary
• WSJ
  Opinion | Alaska Voters, Seeing Double Dan Sullivan
• CNN
  Dan Sullivan will face Dan Sullivan in Alaska. Here’s how much that could hurt the GOP
• The New York Times
  In Headache for Republicans, Second Dan Sullivan Advances in Alaska Senate Race
• The Washington Post
  Analysis | Alaska’s weird (and important) Senate race