A man named Dan J. Sullivan, sharing the same name and party affiliation as Alaskan Republican U.S. Senator Dan S. Sullivan, is now eligible to contest the senator in the August primary. This decision, issued by Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews on Friday, reverses a previous ruling from June 15 by Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher. Beecher had disqualified Dan J. Sullivan from the primary ballot. The case could still be appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court.
State attorneys have indicated that a final decision is needed by Tuesday to allow printing of ballots for the August 18 primary. Judge Matthews found that the division’s decision to exclude Dan J. Sullivan for not pursuing his candidacy ‘in good faith’ was not supported by the Constitution, state law, or the division’s regulations. Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from Petersburg, Alaska, filed to challenge the incumbent senator.
Matthews stated that the division’s decision relied on an unestablished ‘good faith’ criteria. The division plans to appeal the ruling, according to Sam Curtis, a spokesperson for the state Department of Law. Jeffrey Robinson, attorney for Dan J. Sullivan, indicated that he expected the appeal but would refrain from commenting until a decision from the Alaska Supreme Court.
This issue has highlighted the high stakes in the incumbent senator’s reelection campaign. Alaska’s race is deemed one of several competitive U.S. Senate races this fall. Democrats aim to win the seat as part of their strategy to regain majority control. However, achieving a win in Alaska remains challenging as President Trump secured the state by 13 percentage points in 2024.
The incumbent senator, his allies, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have criticized the challenger’s entry, arguing it could mislead voters. Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom initiated an investigation into the challenger’s candidacy earlier this month.
In Alaska’s election system, the top four primary candidates, irrespective of their party, proceed to the ranked-choice general election in November. The senator has accused Dan J. Sullivan of collaborating with Democrats, particularly with Democratic ex-U.S. Representative Mary Peltola’s campaign, to sow confusion and favor Peltola’s chances. The senator alleged that Democrats are trying to mislead Alaskans to manipulate the election to their advantage. Peltola and the state Democrats have denied these claims, as has Dan J. Sullivan.
Carol Beecher had determined that the challenger’s candidacy was meant to confuse and was not genuine. She noted he registered as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. and switched his party affiliation to Republican. Beecher pointed out likenesses between his and the senator’s campaign websites and connections with a consultant who has worked with Democrats, despite no tangible evidence of campaign coordination.
Legal representatives for the state argued that election design does not need to adapt to reduce confusion created by a ‘sham candidate.’ Conversely, attorneys for Dan J. Sullivan stated that the Constitution specifies only age, citizenship, and residency as Senate qualifications and argued that Beecher lacked authority to disqualify him.
The retired teacher, aged 69, and a past U.S. Forest Service employee, mentioned his similar name and party affiliation provided a significant advantage. He claimed he had been contemplating the Senate run for some time due to disillusionment with the current senator. On the state’s candidate listing, he initially appeared as Dan J. Sullivan while the senator was listed as Dan S. Sullivan, identified as the incumbent.