Second Dan Sullivan eligible for ballot in Alaska Senate race, judge rules

A man with the aforesaid name and enactment affiliation arsenic Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan is eligible to situation the legislator successful the August primary, a justice ruled Friday.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews' ruling overturns a June 15 determination by Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher to disqualify the challenger and support him disconnected the superior ballot. Matthews' ruling tin beryllium appealed to the authorities Supreme Court.

Attorneys for the authorities person said Tuesday is the deadline for a last ruling truthful that ballots for the Aug. 18 superior tin beryllium printed.

The justice ruled that the division's determination to exclude Dan J. Sullivan due to the fact that his candidacy was not "in bully faith" was not based connected the Constitution, Alaska instrumentality oregon the division's ain regulations. The retired teacher from the tiny sportfishing assemblage of Petersburg filed to situation the incumbent.

Dan Sullivan, who has filed to tally for U.S. Senate successful Alaska, poses for a photograph Friday, June 26, 2026, successful Petersburg, Alaska. Katie Holmlund/AP Photo

"Instead, the determination was based upon a new, antecedently unstated, 'good faith' criteria," the justice wrote.

The part is appealing the decision, Sam Curtis, a spokesperson with the authorities Department of Law, said by email Saturday. Jeffrey Robinson, an lawyer for Dan J. Sullivan, said successful an email helium expected the part to entreaty and couldn't remark until the Alaska Supreme Court rules connected the case.

The contention implicit the 2 Dan Sullivans has underscored the stakes progressive successful the incumbent's reelection campaign. The Alaska contention is 1 of astir fractional a twelve U.S. Senate races expected to beryllium highly competitory successful the fall, and the spot is 1 Democrats are trying to flip successful their efforts to effort to regain the majority. But it's expected to beryllium an uphill conflict successful a authorities that President Trump won by 13 points successful 2024.

The legislator and allies, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee, person condemned the challenger's efforts to articulation the race, arguing his beingness could confuse voters. Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom earlier this period opened an probe into the non-Senator Sullivan's candidacy.

Under Alaska's predetermination system, the apical 4 candidates from the primary, careless of party, determination connected to the ranked-choice November wide election.

The legislator has accused the challenger Sullivan of moving with Democrats and the run of Democratic erstwhile U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola — who is considered the senator's main hostile — to origin disorder and boost Peltola's chances. The sitting legislator brought the concern to reporters' attraction astatine the Capitol earlier this month, accusing Democrats of being "complicit successful trying to instrumentality Alaskans" to "rig an predetermination successful their favor." 

Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaks to reporters astatine the Capitol successful Washington, D.C., June 30, 2025. Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo

Peltola's run and authorities Democrats person denied the allegation, arsenic has the challenger.

Sen. Sullivan and Peltola are the highest-profile candidates successful the crowded contention and the lone ones to study raising immoderate money.

Beecher has said she determined the challenger Sullivan is not eligible to tally due to the fact that his candidacy was not filed successful bully religion and alternatively was done with an intent to confuse voters. She said helium had registered to ballot arsenic Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. and, successful conjunction with his candidacy, changed his enactment affiliation to Republican. She besides cited similarities betwixt his run website and the senator's, and his enactment with a advisor whose clients person included immoderate Democrats. She did not notation uncovering immoderate grounds of alleged coordination.

In arguing to support the challenger disqualified, attorneys for the authorities pushed backmost connected suggestions the ballot could beryllium designed successful a mode to trim elector disorder implicit 2 candidates with the aforesaid sanction and enactment moving for the aforesaid office.

"The Constitution does not necessitate States to spot a sham campaigner connected the ballot and past effort to mitigate the harm done plan choices," lawyer Rachel Witty, with the Alaska Department of Law, and extracurricular attorneys Christopher Murray and Michael Francisco wrote successful tribunal filings.

Attorneys for the challenger Sullivan argued that the Constitution lays retired 3 exclusive qualifications for the Senate, addressing lone age, citizenship and residency. They said Beecher lacked the ineligible authorization to footwear their lawsuit disconnected the ballot.

The challenger Sullivan has said that sharing a sanction and enactment affiliation with the incumbent gave him "an instant megaphone." But the 69-year-old retired teacher and erstwhile U.S. Forest Service worker said helium had considered a tally for immoderate clip and had grown frustrated with the senator.

He initially was certified connected the state's campaigner database arsenic Dan J. Sullivan, with the legislator listed arsenic Dan S. Sullivan and identified arsenic the incumbent.

Aaron Navarro contributed to this report.