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By Giulia Carbonaro
Senior Reporter
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The Trump administration has said a narrow victory for the Democratic candidate in the Alaska’s Senate race would be a “tainted victory” because the ballot will contain a near namesake of incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan.
The Justice Department made the claim on Tuesday in a lawsuit it filed last week seeking to block the certification of the election’s result if Senator Sullivan loses to Democratic challenger Mary Peltola by a margin less than the number cast for retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.
“Many polls indicate that the race between Senator Sullivan and Peltola will be within one or two percentage points, and Mr. Sullivan received 2.5% of the vote in the primary election,” the filing said. “Thus, there is a realistic chance that, even if a majority of Alaskans wish to vote for Senator Sullivan, Mr. Sullivan’s presence on the ballot will result in a tainted victory for Peltola.”
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The filing asked the judge to prevent Peltola’s campaign and voting rights group League of Women Voters of Alaska's requests to intervene in the case. If granted permission by the judge, both would pursue motions for the court to dismiss the case.
"Beyond positing hypothetical future motives, Proposed Intervenors fail to even allege how they would be litigating this case differently than Defendants," the Justice Department said. The lawsuit names the state of Alaska and election officials as defendents.
“At best they will clog up the docket with duplicative motions full of charged (and inaccurate) rhetoric. All in defense of a sham candidate," the department added.
The filing is the latest in a series of rapid fire court papers. Presiding Judge Sharon L. Gleason imposed an emergency schedule Monday. The schedule gave the government until 5 p.m. Tuesday to respond.
Peltola’s campaign and the voting rights groups have until noon on Wednesday to reply, and the judge said she intends to rule on the motions to dismiss by 5 p.m. on Thursday.
The current senator is listed as the “incumbent” on the ballot, where he is listed as “Dan Sullivan” and a “Republican.” His namesake contender is listed as “Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.” and has no party affiliation.
This is a developing story; more to follow.
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