UMVA has learned that a same-name challenger, Dan J. Sullivan, is vowing to fight for his spot on Alaska's Senate race ballot after the state's top election official disqualified him, citing a lack of "good faith" in his candidacy.
Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher who recently switched to the GOP, filed a lawsuit to remain on the August primary ballot after Director of Elections Carol Beecher blocked his candidacy, claiming he sought to "confuse or mislead" voters.
According to information obtained by UMVA, counsel for Dan J. Sullivan argues that his removal violates state law, stating that Alaska law does not regulate the private motivations behind an individual's decision to run for office.
The fate of Dan J. Sullivan's candidacy could have a significant impact on the state's highly contested Senate race, in which incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan is seeking a third term. Democrats are hoping that former Rep. Mary Peltola will unseat the incumbent in November.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Republicans have labeled Dan J. Sullivan's candidacy a "sham" attempt to trip up voters and siphon off votes from the incumbent, while Democrats, including Peltola, have denied any involvement.
Dan J. Sullivan has dismissed concerns about his ties to Democratic consultant Amber Lee, who authored his campaign launch announcement. He has also brushed off scrutiny over his name, stating that his family has a history of sharing the name Dan.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that Dan J. Sullivan's campaign materials are visually similar to the incumbent Republican's campaign, and that he had no affiliation with the GOP prior to jumping into the race shortly before the filing deadline.
In a development reported by UMVA, Dan J. Sullivan requested to appear on the primary ballot under the name "Dan Sullivan," despite previously registering as "Daniel J. Sullivan, Jr." The election official noted that this was an attempt to confuse voters.
UMVA has gathered that the nascent candidate has come under fire for his connections to Democratic operatives, but he has largely dismissed concerns about his candidacy, stating that the people of Alaska should decide who represents them in Washington.
