State investigation of ‘other’ Dan Sullivan’s US Senate candidacy announced by lieutenant governor

Petersburg resident with same name as Alaska’s junior senator says he’s a legitimate candidate who’s not trying to trick voters

Dan J. Sullivan, a retired Petersburg teacher, is challenging Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan in Alaska's 2026 U.S. Senate race. (Dan J. Sullivan campaign photo)

By Mark Sabbatini

Juneau Independent

An investigation into Petersburg resident Dan Sullivan’s candidacy for U.S. Senate against an incumbent with the same name was announced Monday by Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, who declared there are "credible allegations" the candidacy was filed "in coordination with another campaign with the deliberate intent to confuse Alaska voters."

Dan J. Sullivan, a retired fifth-grade teacher and longtime Petersburg resident, stated in a June 3 letter to the Alaska Division of Elections he is a legitimate Republican candidate who is not trying to trick voters.

“I am running because I am tired of sitting back and watching our current Senator routinely fail to represent the interests of ordinary Alaskans like me,” he states in the letter. “The fact that Senator Sullivan shares my first and last names adds insult to injury, motivating me to raise my hand as an alternative choice for Alaskans."

In response to accusations from state Republican leaders that he was not previously registered with the party, Dan J. Sullivan stated "Historically, I affiliated with the Alaskan Independence Party. However, the party was disbanded, and my registration was automatically marked as unaffiliated. I wish to run for office as a Republican to give Alaska voters another choice for what Republican representation in the U.S. Senate can look like."

Dahlstrom, in a written response to Dan J. Sullivan on Monday, stated "Your letter did not adequately respond to the specific allegations that your candidacy is motivated by an intent to deceive Alaskan voters." The lieutenant governor asks him to respond to a list of seven questions about matters including the design process for his campaign website, and any interactions with other Senate candidates and/or Democratic party officials.

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan’s campaign issued a statement Monday declaring the Petersburg resident a "sham candidate." The statement also highlights a CNN interview with the senator where he "raised serious concerns that Sham Candidate Dan Sullivan’s candidacy is designed to mislead Alaskans, given the shared name, copy and pasted campaign logo and letterhead, and the timing of the filing."

A spokesperson for Democratic candidate Mary Peltola, seen as Sullivan’s main challenger, told the Associated Press the campaign “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.” The news againcy also reported the executive director of the Alaska Democratic Party, Jenny-Marie Stryker, said her organization “is in no way affiliated with either Dan Sullivan.” A Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson, Monica Robinson, replied “no” when asked if the group had been involved in urging the challenger Sullivan to run.

The race for the seat held by incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan is expected to be competitive and potentially decisive in determining which political party controls the Senate during the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term.

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