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By Anna Commander
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The Alaska Supreme Court has ruled that two Dan Sullivans can remain on the August primary ballot: incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, and a retired teacher named Dan J. Sullivan, also a Republican. The decision poses a new challenge for the party.
The decision overturned efforts by state election officials to remove the challenger, who had been accused by Republicans of running solely to confuse voters because he shares the incumbent's name. The court found there was no legal basis under state law or the U.S. Constitution to disqualify the candidate, meaning both men can now appear on the same ballot, according to the Associated Press.
The ruling also comes at a critical moment for Republicans, who view Alaska as a key seat in the battle for Senate control. GOP officials, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee, have argued that the challenger Sullivan's candidacy could mislead voters in Alaska's unique top-four primary system, where all candidates compete on a single ballot regardless of party, the AP reports.
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Newsweek reached out to the state's Division of Elections office via email Monday night for comment
What To Know
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Dan J. Sullivan has denied that he is a sham candidate, insisting he has had no contact with Democratic candidate Mary Peltola's campaign or any Democratic operatives, the AP reported earlier this month.
Jeffrey Robinson, an attorney for the challenger Sullivan, welcomed the ruling and said he expects the Alaska Division of Elections to fully comply with state ballot design laws as it prepares the primary ballots, the AP reports.
Newsweek attempted to reach Dan J. Sullivan via email on Monday night, and the candidate's apparent campaign website appeared to be inaccessible or private. Newsweek also reached out to Peltola's campaign via email Monday night for comment.
The timing of the ruling leaves Alaska election officials with little room to maneuver. The Alaska Supreme Court issued its decision Monday, June 29, affirming that Dan J. Sullivan can appear on the state's August 18 primary ballot, just hours before a hard Tuesday, June 30, noon deadline for the Division of Elections to finalize and send ballots to the printer, the Alaska Beacon notes. The timeline forces officials to quickly determine how to list both Republican candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ballot while complying with state election law.
The Fight to Flip the Seat in Alaska
The legal fight also unfolds as polls suggest Democrats have a legitimate opportunity to flip the seat.
Although there is no accessible public polling yet measuring how the presence of two candidates named Dan Sullivan could affect the outcome, Republicans fear the ballot confusion could siphon votes from the incumbent in a race already expected to be highly competitive.
Under Alaska's ranked-choice voting system, the top four finishers in the primary advance to the general election, making every vote in August significant. With Peltola emerging as one of Democrats' strongest pickup opportunities, the state's Supreme Court's decision adds another layer of uncertainty to a contest that could help determine which party controls the Senate after the 2026 midterm elections.
Taking to X after the ruling, incumbent Senator Sullivan's campaign account, Team Sullivan, said, "We're disappointed in the court's decision because as the sham candidate Dan J. Sullivan's lawyers made clear in their legal arguments, the only reason he is running is to deceive voters and manipulate Alaska's election system. However, we are encouraged by the fact that the Director of the Division of Elections will be able to use her expertise to differentiate between the Petersburg fraud and the incumbent — Senator Dan Sullivan — to the benefit of Alaska voters."
When reached for comment about the ruling, Senator Dan Sullivan's campaign forwarded the statement on X from spokesperson Nate Adams to Newsweek.
What Polls Show
Several recent surveys have shown former Democratic Representative Mary Peltola either narrowly leading or running even with Sullivan.
A poll taken in May from Alaska Survey Research found Peltola has 48.4 percent compared to Sullivan's 43.8 percent. Potential Republican candidates Dustin Darden and Gerald Heikes landed 5.1 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively.
The poll was taken from May 14 to May 17 among 1,401 likely voters, with a 3 percent margin of error.
In a survey taken this month by the pollster, Peltola received 49.4 percent of the vote compared to Sullivan's 44.2 percent. Heikes landed 3.7 percent and Darden landed 2.7 percent. The survey was taken from June 4 to June 7, 2026, among 1,393 likely Alaska voters and has a margin of error of 3 percent.
The Cook Political Report has rated the race Lean Republican, giving incumbent Sullivan the edge.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gray R. Thomas
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