DOJ issues grand jury subpoenas in probe of Dan J. Sullivan’s US Senate candidacy

Election Day reports in national media refer to actions by grand jury last week in federal investigation of namesake of Alaska’s incumbent senator

This combo shows U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, left, in Palmer, Alaska, on Aug. 17, 2026 and a candidate in Alaska's U.S. Senate race, Dan Sullivan, right, in Petersburg, Alaska, on July 3, 2026. (AP Photos/Mark Thiessen/Becky Bohrer)

By Mark Sabbatini

Juneau Independent

This is a developing story.

With national media already focusing on Alaska’s U.S. Senate race during the state’s primary election on Tuesday, a new flurry of stories surfaced during the afternoon about the U.S. Department of Justice ​issuing grand jury subpoenas in its investigation of Dan J. Sullivan’s candidacy.

Sullivan, a retired Petersburg teacher, is running as a Republican against namesake incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. Republican party officials, as well as the Alaska Division of Elections, have accused Dan J. Sullivan of being a sham candidate trying to confuse voters.

The subpoenas were first reported by NBC News, citing "a law enforcement official" and noting the issuance of them last week "to compel information from witnesses linked to the campaign of Dan J. Sullivan" has not been previously reported. Other news agencies including Reuters published subsequent reports, also citing unnamed sources.

"The revelations come on the day polls opened in the closely watched Senate primary," NBC News noted.

Reports of federal officials investigating Dan. J. Sullivan’s candidacy surfaced in early July, following actions by Alaska Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom and state Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher, both Republicans, to disqualify him as a candidate.

The Alaska Supreme Court ruled in late June that Sullivan is a legitimate candidate and ordered his name to be put on the ballot, but Beecher took unprecedent steps by labeling Dan. S. Sullivan as "incumbent" and listing the challenger as "Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr." with no party affiliation.

Dan J. ​Sullivan ⁠has denied in court filing and media interviews his intent is to ⁠cause ​confusion or divert votes ​from Dan S. Sullivan. He told The New York Times in a story published Tuesday his candidacy as a Republican was sincere, but he voted for the Democratic nominee in the last three presidential elections, did not vote for Sen. Sullivan in his past two elections, and did support Mary Peltola — the main Democratic challenger in this year’s Senate race — during her U.S. House bids in 2022 and 2024.

A poll published Monday by Alaska Survey Research shows Sen. Sullivan and Peltola tied at 44% each among respondents, with Dan J. Sullivan at about 5%.

• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.