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Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has ordered a formal investigation into Democrat Mary Peltola’s Senate campaign following a bombshell report alleging the campaign worked with allies to recruit a candidate sharing the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan. Dunleavy announced the probe Thursday, saying authorities would determine whether the alleged scheme violated state law and whether criminal or civil action is warranted.
Governor Orders Investigation
Dunleavy posted his announcement overnight on X, describing the allegations as “disturbing new evidence.” He said the Department of Public Safety would lead the inquiry. “Anyone or any organization found to have broken the law must be held accountable,” he wrote. “The evidence will determine what happens next.”
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The allegations stem from a New York Times report published Wednesday. The Times cited interviews with 12 people involved in or aware of the plan, along with dozens of text messages among participants. The report alleged that Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee worked to recruit a Senate candidate named Dan Sullivan, mirroring the incumbent’s name, in an effort to split his votes.
The Times also cited Elisa Rios, Peltola’s former campaign manager, who was fired in August. Rios later contacted the outlet but subsequently retracted all statements she had made about the 2026 Alaska Senate race. The Times reported she had considered filing a wrongful termination lawsuit against the campaign but had not done so.
Trump and Vance Weigh In
President Donald Trump cast doubt Thursday on whether Republicans would seat Peltola if she wins. Asked by a reporter, Trump said, “You’re going to have to see what happens,” adding it was “hard to believe that she could even be allowed to run.” Following the Times report, Trump called for both Peltola and the challenger Sullivan to be “removed from the ballot and prosecuted.”
Vice President JD Vance also commented Thursday. He said officials “should certainly look into whether she committed election fraud.” Vance added that even if her actions were not criminal, they represented “a great moral failing,” and he hoped Alaska voters would hold her accountable.
Congressional Scrutiny Grows
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., announced Thursday that his committee requested transcribed interviews with Rios and Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz. Kurtz reportedly played a role in recruiting the challenger Sullivan. Comer warned both individuals that compulsory process could follow if they declined to appear voluntarily. The Times noted that Kurtz did not respond to requests for comment and made his social media accounts private.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit last week seeking to block certification of the election if incumbent Sullivan loses. NBC News previously reported that the challenger Sullivan’s candidacy was already under investigation by state and federal prosecutors, and a grand jury issued subpoenas to witnesses linked to his campaign in August.
Campaigns and Legal Experts Respond
A DSCC spokesperson denied involvement, stating, “The DSCC is not involved with Dan J. Sullivan.” The spokesperson also accused Republicans of having “a long history of recruiting and propping up candidates” to boost their own campaigns. A Peltola campaign spokesperson said the campaign “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.”
NBC News election analyst Stephen Richer noted that recruiting a candidate does not automatically break the law. He said those involved could be legally clear if there was “no inducement, like money or threats” and the candidate ran of his own free will. The Times found no evidence that the challenger Sullivan was coerced, and Sullivan himself said he entered the race voluntarily.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., called the reported effort “unprecedented” on Fox News Thursday, describing it as “a concerted effort to manipulate and to deceive the voters of Alaska.”
