Sullivan overtakes Peltola in tight Alaska Senate race as vote count continues
The incumbent Republican leads after an early deficit, but neither candidate has secured the 50 percent majority needed to win outright before ranked-choice voting begins.
By Beatriz Soto ·
Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan has overtaken Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race, according to early returns reported late Tuesday. The race remains too close to call, with both candidates trailing the 50 percent majority threshold required for an outright victory.
Sullivan, who serves as a two-term senator, told supporters in Juneau that he expected to win reelection once all votes were tallied. Peltola, who held an initial lead in the count, acknowledged that the results would take time to finalize. She urged patience, noting the need to count votes from remote communities and overseas service members.
The contest has been shaped by a dispute over a third candidate, retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan. The Republican incumbent has long suspected that Peltola’s campaign recruited Dan J. Sullivan to confuse voters. A report from The New York Times suggested involvement by Peltola’s team, though she has denied any such efforts. Dan J. Sullivan, a candidate from Petersburg who won 2.5 percent of the vote in the August primary, has also denied contact with Peltola’s campaign.
President Donald Trump placed emphasis on the third candidate during his Alaska visit, labeling Dan J. Sullivan as a “fake” contender. The President directed the Justice Department to sue to block certification of results if the incumbent lost, pending an investigation into potential voter confusion. A federal judge dismissed that lawsuit, filed less than two weeks before the election, and the Justice Department has since appealed.
The Justice Department confirmed last week that a criminal investigation is underway. Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman did not specify the crimes under review or the targets of the probe. Donors to Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign stated that FBI agents asked them if they felt deceived by the lesser-known candidate.
Alaska’s ballot lists the incumbent as Dan S. Sullivan, a Republican, and the challenger as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., with no party affiliation. Sullivan described the controversy as the largest election cheating scandal in the state’s history. He questioned Peltola’s denials of involvement and argued that the scheme disrespected Alaskans.
Under state law, ballots postmarked by Election Day can arrive up to 15 days after the vote. The final deadline for receiving ballots is November 18. If no candidate exceeds 50 percent of first-choice votes, the state will use ranked-choice voting to determine the winner. Peltola stated that counting votes from every outpost and college student would be a lengthy process.
Sullivan and Peltola both urged their bases to wait for the final tally. Peltola expressed confidence that her supporters understood who they were voting for. Sullivan maintained that the incumbent would emerge victorious after the complete count.
