Federal Judge Dismisses Trump Administration's Alaska Senate Election Challenge

U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason ruled on Sunday that the federal government cannot block the certification of results from the Alaska U.S. Senate race. The decision dismisses a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration that sought to prevent the official tallying of votes if the Republican incumbent were to lose the election.

Gleason, a nominee of former President Barack Obama, determined the federal government does not have the legal ability to bring the suit. Her ruling ends the immediate federal legal barrier to certifying the results of the closely watched contest. Justice Department attorneys are expected to appeal the decision.

The administration initiated the legal challenge due to a naming conflict on the Alaska ballot. President Trump stated he ordered the lawsuit because two of the four Senate candidates share similar names. The candidates are Senator Dan Sullivan, the Republican incumbent, and Daniel Sullivan Jr., an unaffiliated candidate. The administration argued this similarity could confuse voters.

Political disputes over Sullivan Jr. began before the federal court action. In June, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that Sullivan Jr. had the right to remain on the ballot as a candidate. This decision came after the Alaska Republican Party supported an earlier effort in state court to remove him. Republicans have long alleged that Democrats are supporting Sullivan Jr. to spoil the incumbent’s chances of reelection.

Recent media reports renewed attention on these allegations. A New York Times report described efforts by Democratic campaign operatives to recruit Sullivan Jr. The report has not been independently confirmed by all outlets, but it intensified scrutiny of the race. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has ordered an investigation into the matter. He indicated that the state may delay certifying the race results depending on the investigation’s findings.

During a Friday interview with NewsNation, Dunleavy said if the investigation finds wrongdoing, the certification process will be stopped or changed. He stated that the outcome would follow the evidence presented by the probe.

U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman announced at a Friday press conference in Anchorage that the Justice Department is conducting an ongoing criminal probe. The Democratic candidate, former Representative Mary Peltola, has denied any involvement in the recruitment of Sullivan Jr.