DOJ Subpoenas Target Alaska Senate Race

The Justice Department issued new grand jury subpoenas and records preservation demands in its criminal investigation of the Alaska Senate race. The move follows media reports suggesting that Democratic candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign played a role in recruiting a challenger with the same name as the incumbent Republican senator. The subpoenas seek testimony or documents, though the specific recipients and the total count of requests were not immediately disclosed.

The investigation began months ago after allegations surfaced that Dan J. Sullivan Jr. entered the race to split the vote. President Donald Trump called for the criminal prosecution of Peltola and her campaign earlier this week. Attorney General Todd Blanche told Fox News on Wednesday that Democrats are "cheating." He stated that they are trying to take votes away from the incumbent by putting up a person with the same name rather than running on issues.

Peltola addressed the controversy on Thursday in a speech at a downtown bar in Juneau. She denied knowing about the effort to place another candidate on the ballot. "I knew nothing about any other candidate on the ballot except for me and the incumbent," she said. "I am not interested in tricking voters." She described the scrutiny as a distraction from the cost of living and tariffs.

Dan J. Sullivan, the retired schoolteacher from Petersburg, has consistently denied working at the Democrats' behest. In June, after announcing his candidacy, he said he had "zero, none, zilch" contact with Peltola’s campaign. The New York Times reported that interviews, text messages, and legal documents showed Peltola’s team aimed to coax candidates into the race to divide GOP support.

Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered a separate state investigation into Peltola. He said the reporting reveals disturbing evidence of an organized effort to manipulate Alaska’s elections. He noted that the findings substantially support earlier conclusions by the state’s elections board. Dunleavy stated that deliberately tricking voters strikes at the integrity of the election.

The dispute over the ballot began earlier this year when a top state elections official ruled Dan J. Sullivan Jr. ineligible for the primary ballot. The official concluded his candidacy was filed with a purpose to confuse or mislead voters. The Alaska Supreme Court later reversed that decision and ruled he was qualified to run. The state supreme court ruling allows both Sullivans to appear on the general election ballot.

Voters in Alaska will see "Dan S. Sullivan" identified as a registered Republican and incumbent. The name "Daniel J. Sullivan Jr." will appear without a party affiliation. The outcome of this race is expected to help determine control of the U.S. Senate. Legal experts noted that if state courts allow such a candidate, the federal government generally has no role in challenging the results.

Vice President JD Vance supported the probe into possible election fraud on Thursday. He told reporters that Peltola has pretended for months to have no connection to the fraudulent person on the ballot. "She is trying to steal a Senate seat from the voters of Alaska, and it’s disgraceful," Vance said. He was speaking ahead of a campaign trip to Texas.

Trump cast doubt on whether Peltola would be seated if she won the election. He told reporters in South Carolina that it is hard to believe she could even be allowed to run. Later, while rallying for Sen. Darline Graham, he said Peltola should be removed from the ballot and prosecuted. He had earlier posted on social media that Peltola should suffer legal and political consequences for her actions.

Independent voter Carter Bancroft said the latest claims bother him because they give ammunition to opponents of Peltola. He expressed concern about shenanigans intended to confuse voters. Another independent, John Delgado, said he has warmed up to Sen. Sullivan in light of the recent claims and agrees that Peltola should drop out of the race.