Alaska’s governor orders a probe into Peltola’s Senate campaign over spoiler candidate controversy

Republican Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has ordered an investigation into the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, Mary Peltola, following allegations that her campaign recruited another candidate with the same name as incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. The controversy, reported by The New York Times, alleges that Peltola's team attempted to manipulate voters by splitting support for the GOP senator.

Dunleavy's order came after President Trump called for the criminal prosecution of Peltola and her campaign. Peltola dismissed the allegations as a "distraction" and suggested they were meant to sell newspapers and increase subscriptions. The case first arose when a top state elections official ruled against the candidacy of Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., claiming his declaration was intended to confuse or mislead voters.