PETERSBURG, Alaska — Federal agents have been interviewing donors to the Senate campaign of Dan J. Sullivan, a long-shot candidate who shares the same name as Alaska's incumbent Republican senator, as part of a criminal investigation into whether Democratic operatives recruited him as a decoy candidate. The visits to residents in Petersburg, Sitka and Juneau come amid an increased federal focus on the closely watched race that could determine control of the Senate, just days before the Nov. 3 vote.
The Alaska Division of Elections initially tried to remove Sullivan from the primary ballot, determining he had not filed as a Republican in 'good faith.' That decision was overturned by state courts. Sullivan repeatedly denied having contact with Democratic operatives or the campaign of his Democratic challenger, Mary Peltola, telling The Associated Press in June: 'Zero, none, zilch.' He answered 'no' when asked if any Democratic operatives had contacted him to run.
A federal lawsuit by the Trump administration to revive efforts to undermine Sullivan's candidacy and challenge a potential Peltola win by blocking certification of the election results was dismissed on Sunday by a federal judge. The Justice Department quickly appealed.
Donors interviewed by local media said FBI agents asked whether they had felt deceived by the lesser-known Sullivan and whether they intended to donate to Sen. Sullivan's campaign. Sharon Hunter, who donated $1,000 with her husband, said: 'I'm a bit incredulous about their whole angle, because they're targeting a person who's been a real contributor in this community.' Barry Bracken, who has known Sullivan for over 40 years, said agents asked whether he had voluntarily donated to Dan, and he replied he would not have donated to the other Dan Sullivan.
The small Alaskan community of Petersburg, known as 'Little Norway' for its late 19th-century settlers, has been thrust into the center of the federal investigation and a crush of media attention. At a Halloween party at a local dive, a patron dressed as an FBI agent and another wore a 'Petersburg Election Scandal' prison placard. Dan J. Sullivan quipped to trick-or-treaters on Saturday night: 'My costume is the real Dan Sullivan – not the fake guy.'
Mary Peltola has denied any role in the alleged chicanery, telling supporters: 'This is Alaska. We're not in the business of tricking each other up here.' Retired fisherman Ed Wood wrote a $1,000 check to Sullivan's campaign to repay support Sullivan and his wife gave to a decade-long battle to block state logging above Petersburg. Retired boat seller Charles Flint described Sullivan as a 'liberal thinker' who sometimes voted for Republicans and said Sullivan probably viewed himself 'more as a spoiler than a legitimate long shot.'
About 60% of Alaska's 600,000 registered voters identify as independents, one of the highest percentages in the country. The investigation underscores the tensions surrounding electoral strategies in a state with a history of tight races and unconventional tactics. As one donor said, 'It feels like a waste of time and resources,' while another said the investigation 'feels like voter intimidation.' The case raises questions about the limits of campaign tactics and government oversight in elections.
