The Trump administration filed a federal lawsuit seeking to halt certification if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses reelection to Democrat Mary Peltola.
The Justice Department has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block Alaska election officials from certifying the results of the November U.S. Senate race unless incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan wins reelection, according to court records reported by NBC News. The complaint targets the candidacy of Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., arguing that having another candidate on the ballot with a nearly identical name threatens to mislead voters and distort the election outcome.
The filing comes shortly after Attorney General Todd Blanche refused to rule out DOJ blocking election certification during rare scenarios. On the day the Alaska lawsuit was filed, Blanche told reporters that “it is not DOJ’s intention to, and it’s never our intention to, improperly interfere with elections or the state confirmation process or certification process.” The federal action in Alaska also follows another recent voting dispute, where the Justice Department sued California over voting rolls earlier in the month.
Why the administration filed suit
Federal attorneys want a court order halting certification if Sen. Sullivan is defeated by Democratic challenger Mary Peltola, but would have won had votes for Daniel J. Sullivan gone to the incumbent under Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system. The news outlets differed slightly on the timing of the submission, with NBC News stating the lawsuit was filed Thursday, while CBS News reported the court filing occurred Friday.
President Donald Trump took personal responsibility for launching the legal challenge against the third-party contender, whom he has repeatedly attacked as a fraudulent spoiler created by political opponents. “I’m the one that said do it,” Trump said. He claimed that the rival candidate had never voted, though records show the man has previously cast ballots in Alaska elections. Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. did not provide a comment on the case.
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward stated in the complaint that the lawsuit was submitted to protect the integrity of the contest. The Justice Department maintained that certifying a tally tainted by what it called a frivolous candidacy would harm the federal government by eroding public trust in its institutions, arguing the situation breaches the National Voter Registration Act. A department spokesperson added that the steps were required to ensure the ballot remains fair.
Earlier court fights over the ballot
The issue of Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.’s name on the ballot had already been contested in state courts before federal lawyers intervened. Alaska election officials initially removed him from the ballot in June after concluding his candidacy was not filed in good faith. Officials pointed out that he registered using the name Dan rather than Daniel and claimed an affiliation with the Republican Party despite having no prior party affiliation on state records.
However, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that he was legally permitted to stay on the ballot. In the state’s August all-party primary, Peltola finished first with 49.5% of the vote, Sen. Sullivan took 41.4%, and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. placed third with 2.5%. A fourth candidate, Republican Gerald Heikes, also advanced to the November ballot.
The printed general election ballot distinguishes between the two men. The incumbent appears as Dan S. Sullivan alongside the labels registered Republican and incumbent. The competing candidate is listed as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. with no political party affiliation.
Legal limits and campaign context
Legal specialists questioned whether the federal government has any valid authority to stop state officials from certifying election results. State and local authorities run American elections, while federal statutes restrict the Justice Department mostly to protecting civil rights and prosecuting election crimes.
Former federal civil rights attorney David Becker told PBS NewsHour that the case belongs strictly under state law and described an attempt to stop certification 11 days before the vote as unprecedented. Justin Levitt, a former Obama administration Justice Department official, also observed that no statute authorizes federal lawyers to challenge ballots or postpone state certifications.
The legal fight arrives during the closing stretch before Election Day, with both parties campaigning across competitive states. Trump is scheduled to travel to Georgia and Michigan, where Republican Mike Rogers faces Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. Former President Barack Obama is also traveling to Michigan to campaign alongside El-Sayed before heading to Ohio.
