In one of the most bizarre election contests in Alaska history, former Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan has issued an endorsement for incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan in his quest to defeat a hitherto unknown challenger by the name of Dan Sullivan.
Mayor Sullivan posted his endorsement to Facebook last week, on the day of the Aug. 18 primary election.
“As the OG Dan Sullivan, I urge Alaskans to vote for Sen. Daniel S. Sullivan,” Mayor Sullivan posted. “He’s been great for Alaska.”
Senator Sullivan was one of four candidates expected to advance out of the Aug. 18 primary to the general election. In November, he will face off against his top challenger, former U.S. Congresswoman Mary Peltola, along with a schoolteacher from Petersburg named Daniel Sullivan.
According to preliminary data, Peltola is leading the primary race with 48.09% of the vote. She is followed by Senator Sullivan with 42.72%. Far behind, but still within the top-four threshold to make the general, are Daniel Sullivan (2.43%) and hard-left Democrat David Leslie (1.13%).
If, as expected, Petersburg Sullivan makes it to the November ballot, Republican strategists worry that his name on the ballot will cause confusion amongst voters who may inadvertently vote for the wrong Sullivan.
Given that the race may come down to narrow percentages, mistakenly marked ballots might tip the scales in favor of Peltola.
The Alaska Division of Elections attempted to help primary voters distinguish between the more famous sitting U.S. Sen. Dan S. Sullivan and the upstart retired teacher from Petersburg.
The names and party affiliations, as they appeared on the ballot, were updated after the Alaska Supreme Court ordered the Division of Elections to reinstate the Petersburg Sullivan. Previously, state officials had deemed that his candidacy was not “in good faith,” but was intended to confuse voters and hurt Sen. Sullivan’s re-election campaign.
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Petersburg Sullivan was listed as “Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr.,” with no party affiliation, while the current Senator was listed as “Sullivan, Dan S. (Registered Republican) Incumbent.”
Despite the subtle differences, the two Sullivans appeared right next to each other on the primary ballot, requiring a double-take to ensure one’s vote was properly filled out.
Political observers have noted that Alaska’s jungle primary and ranked-choice voting system have created an environment for mass confusion among voters, including bizarre scenarios in which multiple Dan Sullivans will appear on the general election ballot.
