3,600 Votes Cast for 'Decoy Dan' in Alaska Senate Race

3,600 Alaskans cast ballots for Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher who ran under the same name as incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan. This total exceeds the 637 vote difference between the top two candidates in the state's Senate race. The presence of a third candidate with an identical name has complicated the final count in a contest decided by less than 700 votes.

Mary Peltola, a former Democratic representative, currently holds a narrow lead over Senator Sullivan. The Associated Press reported that roughly 75% of votes in Alaska remain to be counted as of Thursday morning. Because the gap is so small, the 3,600 votes directed to the third candidate could determine the final outcome under the state's ranked choice voting system. If no candidate reaches 50% of the total, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their first-choice votes transfer to the voter's second choice.

The Justice Department began investigating Daniel J. Sullivan in July after he entered the race in May. An October report from The New York Times stated that the candidate met with Democratic operatives and members of Peltola's campaign staff to encourage his run. Peltola has denied any involvement in the coordination. One voter told reporters Tuesday that he believed he accidentally selected the wrong candidate because he forgot to check for two names on the ballot.

"I don't remember seeing the other Dan Sullivan, I totally forgot to look for two Dan Sullivans," the voter said. "I definitely intended to vote for the real Dan Sullivan." President Donald Trump addressed the situation in a Thursday morning post on Truth Social. He argued that the votes for the third candidate should be given to the sitting senator, stating, "The vote totals for the Fake Dan Sullivan, plus the other 'slug' that the Dems put on the Ballot, should be immediately given to the REAL Dan Sullivan, and the Election is over - He easily wins."

In Mississippi, the race between Democratic candidate Scott Colom and incumbent Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith remains unresolved. Colom leads 464,926 to 463,788, according to the Associated Press, with 95.6% of votes counted. Secretary of State Michael Watson said officials are still waiting for a batch of 3,600 mail-in ballots. The state counts these ballots if they are received within five business days of the election and were postmarked on or before election day. NBC News estimated that 45,000 total votes remain to be tabulated.

Mississippi lacks a formal recount process, which increases the likelihood of legal challenges. Colom told reporters Wednesday that he has "an army of lawyers" preparing for a potential court battle to protect the election's integrity. Scott Monssen, campaign manager for Hyde-Smith, said in a statement that his team is closely monitoring the remaining count. "We remain confident that when every legally cast vote is fully and accurately counted, Mississippians will have reelected Cindy Hyde-Smith," Monssen said.