Alaska Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom has launched an investigation into the controversial candidacy of Daniel James Sullivan, Jr., a Petersburg resident who filed to challenge incumbent U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan in the August 18 primary. In a sharply worded letter dated June 8, Dahlstrom raised serious questions about whether the challenger’s declaration of candidacy was filed in good faith or as part of an effort to confuse voters.
The letter notifies Sullivan, Jr. that the Division of Elections is reviewing credible allegations that he may have coordinated with another campaign to capitalize on the fact that he shares the same first and last name as the incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan, while also newly affiliating with the Republican Party in order to siphon off votes.
“If true, it suggests that your declaration of candidacy… was not genuine and not properly filed,” Dahlstrom wrote. She described the situation as “unprecedented” and potentially damaging to voter rights and election integrity.
Dahlstrom has given Sullivan, Jr. until noon on Wednesday, June 10, to submit a sworn affidavit answering seven detailed questions.
Dahlstrom emphasized the Division’s duty to protect “the integrity, credibility, and impartiality of Alaska’s elections” and ensure voters are “not misled about the identity of candidates.”
These include the following:
— Whether he was ever previously affiliated with the Republican Party and, if so, when and where.
— Whether he ever held himself out as a Republican before filing.
— Details on other names used in past voter registrations and why he used only “Dan Sullivan” this time.
— The process for designing his campaign website and logo, including any intent to mimic the incumbent’s branding.
— Any interactions with Amber Lee or her firm Amber Lee Strategies.
— Any contact with other Senate candidates, their agents, or Democratic Party agents regarding his filing.
The Lt. Governor also asked Sullivan, Jr. to state whether he would object to appearing on the ballot as “Sullivan, Daniel James Jr. (non-incumbent)” or without the Republican Party designation to reduce confusion.
The action follows a June 1 complaint from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) challenging Sullivan, Jr.’s candidacy. In a June 3 response to Director of Elections Carol Beecher, Sullivan, Jr. defended his filing as a candidate. He stated he is a qualified Alaska voter over 30, a lifelong U.S. citizen, and a resident. He acknowledged previously affiliating with the Alaskan Independence Party, which disbanded, leaving him unaffiliated. He said he followed the filing form’s instructions when designating his new Republican affiliation.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
“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,” Sullivan, Jr. wrote. “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.”
He argued that Alaska law requires his name to be placed on the ballot and that the Division lacks authority to exclude him based on name similarity or party switch. He suggested reasonable steps, like including a middle initial, could address confusion without removing him.
Dahlstrom emphasized the Division’s duty to protect “the integrity, credibility, and impartiality of Alaska’s elections” and ensure voters are “not misled about the identity of candidates.” The outcome of the investigation could determine not only whether Sullivan, Jr. appears on the ballot but in what form.
Senator Dan Sullivan’s campaign praised Dahlstrom for having the courage to take decisive action to protect the integrity of Alaska’s elections.
“The State of Alaska is standing up for every Alaskan voter’s right to a fair and honest ballot,” said Senator Sullivan’s campaign spokesman, Nate Adams. “Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom’s letter makes clear that Alaska’s elections will not be a playground for deception. We commend her commitment to ensuring voters’ right to an honest, fair election is upheld and are hopeful that the ruse that is lifelong Democrat Sham Candidate Dan Sullivan’s phony candidacy will come to a swift end.”
This story is developing. The Division of Elections has not yet issued a final decision on ballot placement.
15 Comments
The democrats are lying cheats. Everyone knows this is a scam. If he makes it to the ballot. There’s a bunch of voters out there who don’t pay attention to what’s going on, will vote for this loser thinking it’s Dan Sullivan.
Dahlstom needs to ask for financial records as $$$ likely was exchanged in some form for getting the useless idiot (Lenin’s term) Decoy Dan to go along with this underhanded scheme. I also question whether Princess Lisa may be involved in this whole ugly mess. After all she has enough experience in cheating to win. And has she spoken out to support her fellow senator?
The bottom line: Dan S. Sullivan can warn voters. He can campaign hard. He can say, “Make sure you vote for Dan S. Sullivan.” But he should not get special government protection from lawful political competition. The ballot belongs to the people, not the incumbent.
So, you think this is legitimate? Wow!
The question Alaskans should be asking is not whether voter confusion matters. Of course it matters. The real question is this:
Is Alaska’s election office acting as a neutral protector of voters, or did the State of Alaska just allow an incumbent U.S. Senator and national Republican operatives to trigger an official investigation against a lawful challenger?
That is the part that should trouble every Alaskan, Republican, Democrat, Independent, or undeclared.
Daniel J. Sullivan is not barred from running simply because his legal name is similar to incumbent Senator Dan S. Sullivan. No incumbent owns a name. No party committee owns a ballot. And no national campaign arm should be able to convert political panic into state investigative power without full public disclosure.
Lt. Governor Nancy Dahlstrom’s backstory makes this even more serious. She is not just a neutral office clerk. She is a Republican lieutenant governor who controls and supervises Alaska’s Division of Elections. She was recently a Republican candidate for Congress. She received major national Republican support. She addressed the Alaska Republican Convention and was introduced by top D.C. Republican leaders. She also benefited from national Republican campaign attention during her own run.
Now, after a complaint from the National Republican Senatorial Committee — the national Republican Senate campaign arm — her office opens an investigation into a candidate whose presence on the ballot may inconvenience the incumbent Republican senator.
That may not prove wrongdoing, but it absolutely creates an appearance of conflict.
The June 8 letter from Lt. Governor Dahlstrom does not merely ask how to make the ballot clearer. It questions Mr. Sullivan’s political intent, his prior Republican affiliation, his website and logo, and whether he had contact with Democrats or other campaigns. She even asks whether he would object to being listed as “non-incumbent” or appearing without the Republican designation.
That sounds less like neutral ballot administration and more like the State testing whether a citizen’s candidacy is politically acceptable.
If the concern is voter confusion, then fix the ballot neutrally: use full legal names, middle initials, hometowns, occupations, and clear voter pamphlet information for both candidates. Treat both men equally. Do not use state power to interrogate one candidate because the incumbent complains.
The Lt. Governor should immediately release the NRSC complaint, all communications with Senator Sullivan’s campaign, all communications with the NRSC, RNC, Alaska Republican Party, Attorney General’s office, and Division of Elections regarding Daniel J. Sullivan. That includes emails, texts, call logs, meeting notes, and calendar entries.
If there were no improper contacts, release the records and clear the air.
If there were contacts from national Republican operatives or the incumbent’s campaign urging the State to act, Alaskans deserve to know that too.
The ballot belongs to the people, not to incumbents. Election integrity does not mean protecting powerful officeholders from competition. It means protecting every qualified citizen’s right to run, every voter’s right to choose, and every Alaskan’s right to know whether state election power is being used fairly or politically.
Lt. Governor Dahlstrom should either provide full transparency or recuse herself and appoint a truly independent reviewer.
Anything less looks like state power being used to protect an incumbent.
— Liberty Ed
I just might have to agree with you, but you would have to answer this simple question. What is woman?
Dalhlstrom needs to be somebody’s buddy since she dropped out! I can read, can you? I understand who is an Incumbent, do you? It’ll be stated on the ballot. Oh well, Nancy, show us your stuff!!!
“………The real question is this:
Is Alaska’s election office acting as a neutral protector of voters, or did the State of Alaska just allow an incumbent U.S. Senator and national Republican operatives to trigger an official investigation against a lawful challenger?……….”
No, it’s not. The real question is this:
Is Dan J. Sullivan’s intent with his candidacy and switch to the Republican Party to represent the party and Alaska faithfully, or is it to utilize the ranked choice election to confuse voters and help the Peltola campaign by reducing votes to Senator Sullivan?
The fact that your “real question” did not address the obvious attempt at election fraud is telling, Mr, “Liberty Ed”.
RT , we will find out soon enough! I sent out a letter to the Lt. Governors office under a APRA request as to whom , what & where this investigation is/was requested the whom /what communication(s) has taken place …. What fillings shows bad faith? In ten days or so should your quench for thirst ,could be answered & mine too, RT. Liberty Ed
The Democrats can only win if they cheat, that goes for Lisa Murkoski also. She no Republican and she’s noted as not playing by the rules. She doesn’t want the Save America act to pass, because she’s relies on cheating to win. So, this imposter Daniel J Sullivan is just as sinister as Lisa Murkowski and we don’t need another sinister cheater representing us in Washington. I can see his intent isn’t to win it’s just confuse the low IQ voter so as to take votes away from our Senator Dan Sullivan. How repulsive and embarrassing it would be to be Daniel J Sullivan’s family.
I’ll be voting for the real thing: Dan J Sullivan.
Accept no imitations.
All that I needed to know was that Decoy Dan only wants a middle initial to distinguish between them. That says it all. The intent is clearly deception. He is a fraud. Peltola’s only hope is fraud. Can you imagine running a campaign like that? She should be ashamed, but it takes a lot to shame a Democrat.
Republican s think voters are SO DUMB that they can’t tell the difference between the two. Embarrassing.
Mr. Singh. I am a Republican voter and I wouldn’t have known which one to vote for if I didn’t follow the news or social media. Does that make me dumb? Do you believe everyone out there who votes will know about Dan J. when election time comes? Can you tell me why Dan J. would run with an R after his name, when he donated to Petola? Can you please tell me because you are smarter than me.
The burden of educating yourself about the candidates presented on the ballot is on you Alaskanyuk.