In Headache for Republicans, Second Dan Sullivan Advances in Alaska Senate Race
A long-shot candidate with the same name as the incumbent Republican senator will be on the ballot in November. That could be a problem for the G.O.P.
Juneau, Alaska - A man with the same name as Republican U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan advanced to the general election on Tuesday, setting the stage for one of the most crucial races this fall. The challenger, Dan J. Sullivan, is a retired teacher from Petersburg and filed his candidacy amidst allegations of voter confusion. These claims were raised by the incumbent senator and his Republican allies.
Ultimately, the state Supreme Court ruled in favor of Dan J. Sullivan, making him eligible for the ballot. While the challenger's campaign materials listed him as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., with no party affiliation, the incumbent was labeled as Dan S. Sullivan, a Republican and incumbent. President Trump endorsed Dan J. Sullivan for re-election, dismissing the other Sullivan's candidacy as an attempt to deceive voters.
Dan J. Sullivan criticized the incumbent for endorsing the president, stating that he was more focused on raising tariffs on allies than reducing the cost of groceries, housing, and energy. The Senate race is one of three major contests on Alaska's primary ballot, alongside races for the state's lone U.S. House seat and governor. The other spots in the Senate race are yet to be determined.
Written by urgent.news from CBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
