WASHINGTON: The US Justice Department on Thursday sued to pre-emptively block Alaska from certifying the results of its US Senate race if the Republican incumbent candidate loses by a narrow margin, saying voters could be confused because two Republicans on the ballot have almost identical names.
The lawsuit highlights the apparent willingness of President Donald Trump’s administration to contest the results of the Nov 3 midterm elections that will decide control of the US Congress.
Trump’s administration has taken an increasingly aggressive approach to election oversight, pressing states for voter-registration data and arguing that stricter measures are needed to ensure public confidence in the vote. Critics, including both Democratic and some Republican election officials, view the moves as federal overreach.
Control of the US Senate could come down to Alaska, where incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan is running a closely contested race against Democrat Mary Peltola.
The Justice Department’s lawsuit, filed in federal court in Anchorage, takes issue with the presence of a third contender in the race, another Republican named Dan J. Sullivan Jr, alleging he is running “with the intention of misleading supporters of Senator Sullivan into voting for him.”
The lawsuit asks a federal judge to block the certification of an outcome “that may be impacted by voter confusion,” so that there can be “an investigation to determine whether votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan were meant to be cast for Senator Sullivan”.
A Justice Department spokesperson said that the agency is taking “necessary steps to ensure that this frivolous candidacy does not undermine the integrity of Alaska’s election or the will of its voters”.
Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2026
