Trump is trying to overturn an election that hasn’t happened yet

President Donald Trump's Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Thursday in an attempt to block former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola's victory in the 2026 US Senate election, despite the fact that the election has not yet taken place. The lawsuit arises out of an unusual candidacy that may confuse voters and potentially impact incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan's reelection bid.

The lawsuit claims that the presence of not-Senator Sullivan on the ballot may trick voters who intended to vote for the actual senator into voting for the not-senator, thus undermining the integrity of the electoral process. However, the lawsuit raises several concerns, including the lack of a clear legal basis for the claim and the potential violation of the "Purcell principle," which discourages federal courts from intervening in election-related disputes when the election is imminent.

The lawsuit, known as United States v. Alaska, has raised doubts about the Trump administration's willingness to use any means necessary to overturn Democratic victories in the upcoming election.