Judge voids federal bid to stop Alaska Senate vote

U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason ruled on Sunday that the federal government cannot block the certification of results in Alaska's Senate race if the Republican incumbent loses.

The decision dismisses a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration to stop the counting of votes in the closely watched contest. Gleason, a nominee of former President Barack Obama, found that the federal government does not have the legal ability to bring this specific type of case.

President Trump ordered the lawsuit after noticing that two candidates on the ballot share similar names. Sen. Dan Sullivan is the Republican incumbent. Daniel Sullivan Jr. is a nonpartisan candidate. The President argued that the similar names could confuse voters.

The Justice Department's attorneys relied on the preamble of the National Voter Registration Act to support their claim. They are expected to appeal Gleason's ruling in the coming days.

The dispute stems from an earlier effort by Alaska's Republican Party to keep Sullivan Jr. off the ballot. In June, the Alaska Supreme Court rejected that state-level challenge and ruled that Sullivan Jr. has the right to run.

Republican allegations that Democrats propped up Sullivan Jr. to spoil the incumbent's chances gained new attention after a report from The New York Times. The report described efforts by Democratic campaign operatives to recruit Sullivan Jr., though NPR has not independently confirmed the details.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has ordered an investigation into the matter. At a press conference in Anchorage on Friday, U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman stated that the Justice Department is conducting an ongoing criminal probe. Dunleavy said on Friday that if the investigation finds wrongdoing, the state may stop or change the certification of the race.

Democratic candidate Mary Peltola has denied any involvement in the recruitment efforts.