Second Dan Sullivan Advances in Alaska Senate Primary

A retired teacher sharing the name of Alaska's incumbent Republican senator has advanced to the November ballot, creating fresh complications for Sen. Dan S. Sullivan in a race Democrats view as their best chance to flip a red seat.

Dan J. Sullivan, a former school employee from Petersburg, secured one of the top four spots in the state's Aug. 18 open primary with roughly 2.5 percent of the vote. He joins Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, who received about 43 percent, and Democrat Mary Peltola, who led with nearly 49 percent. The fourth finalist remains undecided as final counts trickle in. Alaska's nonpartisan primary sends the top four finishers, regardless of party, to a ranked-choice general election.

The challenger filed to run as a Republican just days before the deadline. Sen. Sullivan and Republican allies immediately labeled the move a deliberate attempt to siphon conservative votes by confusing supporters. Election officials initially disqualified Dan J. Sullivan on those grounds, but the state supreme court restored him to the ballot after legal challenges. On primary ballots, the senator appeared with his middle initial and incumbent label, while the other Sullivan ran without party designation.

Critics point to the challenger's own record as evidence of questionable motives. Dan J. Sullivan has acknowledged voting for Democratic presidential candidates in the last three cycles and supporting Peltola in prior races. He has described himself as a moderate Republican focused on local issues, yet those admissions have fueled skepticism that his candidacy serves interests beyond his stated platform. President Trump endorsed the incumbent senator and called the duplicate name entry an effort to trick voters.

Peltola, the first Alaska Native elected to Congress, flipped the state's at-large House seat in 2022 and has run competitively in statewide contests despite Alaska's consistent Republican tilt in presidential elections. Sen. Sullivan, a former Marine first elected in 2014, has emphasized his work on veterans' issues and the fishing industry. Polls have shown the Senate race tightening, with Peltola staying close in a state that has not elected a Democratic senator since 2008.

Ranked-choice voting adds another layer to the contest. Voters can rank candidates in order of preference, which backers say reduces the spoiler risk from multiple candidates. In practice, the system allows voters who might mix up the two Sullivans to rank both before turning to Peltola, though it remains unclear how many will do so or whether the format will blunt any confusion-driven losses for the incumbent. Outside spending already exceeded $2 million in the primary, with more expected before November.

Republicans have taken steps to differentiate the candidates in advertising by highlighting the senator's middle initial. Democrats have targeted the race as a pickup opportunity, and the presence of a low-polling but identically named challenger keeps the possibility of vote fragmentation alive in what could prove a narrow contest. The final weeks will test whether voters sort through the similarities or whether the unusual ballot dynamic delivers an edge to one side.