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Peltola denies knowing about Alaska spoiler candidate as Justice Department escalates investigation

Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola denied Thursday that she knew anything about an effort to put another candidate on the Alaska ballot with the same name as the Republican incumbent as the Justice Department escalated a criminal investigation with new grand jury subpoenas.

Republicans Ramp Up Investigation Into Democratic Plan to Pack Alaska’s Ballot

The Justice Department issued subpoenas, a House oversight committee sought interviews and the state opened its own inquiry into a Democratic plan to recruit a spoiler into a Senate race.

© Kerry Tasker/Reuters

Republican anger grew on Thursday over a Democratic effort to stack Alaska’s Senate ballot with candidates to siphon votes from the G.O.P. incumbent.

Republicans seize on controversy in Alaska's closely watched Senate race

30 October 2026 at 01:55
Alaska's governor is ordering an investigation into Democrat Mary Peltola's Senate campaign over reports that it recruited a spoiler candidate to dilute Republican votes. That's as President Trump repeated calls for Peltola's prosecution during a trip to another deep red state where his endorsed candidate is facing headwinds. Liz Landers reports.

Alaska's governor orders a probe into Peltola's Senate campaign over spoiler candidate controversy

Republican Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has ordered an investigation into the Democratic candidate running for the U.S. Senate in the state after revelations that her campaign appeared to be involved in recruiting another candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan.

Alaska Governor Orders Criminal Investigation Into Peltola Campaign

President Trump had lashed out at Mary Peltola after The New York Times reported that her campaign and national Democrats helped recruit spoiler candidates to the race. He offered no explanation of what crime may have been committed.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

President Trump campaigned this month for Senator Dan S. Sullivan of Alaska, a Republican running for re-election this year against Mary Peltola, a Democrat and former congresswoman.

Trump calls for prosecution of Alaska Senate candidate Peltola over Sullivan name controversy

President Donald Trump called for the criminal prosecution of the Democratic candidate running for Senate in Alaska on Wednesday after revelations that her campaign appeared to be involved in recruiting a candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan.

Inside Democrats’ Secret Effort to Stack Alaska’s Midterm Ballot With Another Dan Sullivan

28 October 2026 at 17:37
Operatives aligned with Mary Peltola, the Democratic nominee for Senate, spent months recruiting candidates to peel votes from Senator Dan Sullivan, the Republican.

© Haven Daley/Associated Press

A sample ballot showing candidates for next week’s U.S. Senate race in Alaska lists two Dan Sullivans (highlight added here to both), along with Mary Peltola, the Democrat, and a fourth candidate named Gerald Heikes.
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