THE DAILY BS: HOW MUCH CAN YOU HANDLE?
SPARE ME THE BS. I’ve got things to do.
- Trump is heading to Alaska to campaign for Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in his reelection contest against Mary Peltola.
- Another candidate named Dan Sullivan remains on the ballot after a legal battle that reached Alaska’s highest court.
- Republicans have questioned the second candidate’s motives, while Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system adds another complication.
MORE TO IT. I’ve got time.
President Donald Trump is heading to Alaska to campaign for Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, but voters examining their November ballots will discover an unusual complication.
There are two candidates named Dan Sullivan running for the same Senate seat.
Trump is scheduled to headline a Tuesday rally in Wasilla, Alaska, supporting the incumbent Republican senator as he seeks another six-year term against former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola.
But the ballot also features another Dan Sullivan, a retired teacher and former U.S. Forest Service employee whose candidacy has been controversial for months.
The incumbent senator and his Republican allies have questioned the second Sullivan’s political connections, accusing Democrats of attempting to confuse voters by introducing a candidate with the same name.
The second Sullivan has denied being a sham candidate.
The dispute became serious enough to reach the Alaska Supreme Court.
In June, Alaska election officials attempted to disqualify the second Sullivan over questions surrounding his eligibility and Republican affiliation.
A state judge overturned that decision, and the Alaska Supreme Court subsequently allowed him to remain on the ballot.
Fox News reported that the second Sullivan had previously donated to Peltola and that metadata associated with his campaign announcement pointed to an individual who had supported her earlier congressional campaigns.
Those circumstances fueled Republican suspicions, although they do not establish that Democratic Party officials orchestrated his candidacy.
In an earlier interview with Fox News Digital, the incumbent Sullivan accused political opponents of trying to manipulate the election.
“Think about it. Schumer has talked about flipping the Alaska seat, he hand-recruited and handpicked Peltola as his top recruit for Alaska, and now he’s trying to rig the election in Alaska by deceiving the voters,” Sullivan said.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee denied knowledge of a coordinated effort to place the second Sullivan in the race.
The unusual situation is unfolding under Alaska’s open-primary and ranked-choice voting system.
The state’s top-four primary system allows candidates to advance regardless of party affiliation. In the general election, voters can rank candidates by preference, with votes redistributed if no candidate initially receives a majority.
The incumbent appears on the published candidate list as Daniel Sullivan, while the other candidate is listed as Dan Sullivan.
That distinction could help voters tell them apart, but Republicans remain concerned about confusion, particularly among voters who recognize the incumbent by his commonly used first name.
The second Sullivan’s continued presence on the ballot is especially noteworthy because Alaska voters are also considering whether to repeal the state’s election system.
Supporters of ranked-choice voting argue that it gives voters more choices and encourages candidates to appeal beyond their party’s traditional base. Critics say the system is unnecessarily complicated and creates opportunities for confusion.
Trump’s visit comes as the Republican Party focuses attention on Sullivan’s contest with Peltola, who previously represented Alaska in the U.S. House.
Vice President JD Vance has already campaigned for the incumbent senator in Fairbanks.
Now Trump is making the trip to Wasilla, a city closely associated with former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
The president’s visit is intended to support the incumbent Dan Sullivan. But the presence of another candidate with almost the same ballot name has added an unusual dimension to an already closely watched Senate race.
And for Alaska voters, the difference between Daniel and Dan may deserve an extra look before marking their ballots.
PROVE IT. I don’t trust anybody.
- Associated Press — Trump’s Alaska visit and the unusual Senate contest
- Fox News — Sullivan accuses same-name challenger of attempting to manipulate the election
- Fox News — Alaska Supreme Court allows second Sullivan to remain on ballot
- Fox News — Republicans raise concerns about voter confusion after the primary
- Fox News / Associated Press — Alaska’s published 2026 Senate candidate list
