The House Oversight Committee is examining allegations that allies of Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola sought to place a candidate named Dan J. Sullivan on Alaska’s 2026 U.S. Senate ballot to confuse voters and siphon support from incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, according to a New York Times report cited by The Western Journal.
What sparked the probe
The New York Times reported that Alaska Democrats believed a same-name candidacy could aid Peltola by diverting votes from the Republican incumbent. The Times added, “The plan worked,” noting that a retired teacher from a small Alaska Panhandle village announced a Senate run this spring under the name Dan J. Sullivan. Republicans have referred to him as “Decoy Dan,” per the Western Journal account of the Times’ reporting.
In a news release posted on the committee’s website, Chairman James Comer said the alleged recruitment had the “intent to confuse voters in the 2026 U.S. midterm elections.” Comer was quoted accusing Democrats of attempting to “rig the U.S. Senate election in Alaska by deliberately confusing voters,” framing it as part of what he called a broader pattern of misconduct. The committee’s official X account said it is investigating allegations that the Peltola campaign recruited a near-namesake to confuse voters and that it is seeking interviews with Peltola’s former campaign manager and a Democratic operative.
Who Oversight wants to interview
The committee sent letters to Elisa Rios, Peltola’s former campaign manager, and Jerid Kurtz, identified in Comer’s letter as a Democratic operative allegedly tasked with assisting the effort, The Western Journal reported. Comer said the panel will consider compelling testimony if they do not appear voluntarily. Separately, KTSA noted that Rios reportedly attempted to retract comments she had provided to the New York Times after describing what the campaign had done.
Alaska’s governor orders a state investigation
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy posted on X that “new evidence” reported by the New York Times supported earlier Alaska Division of Elections findings from June and described “an organized effort to manipulate Alaska’s elections by recruiting candidates — including one with the same name as an incumbent U.S. Senator — to deliberately confuse voters and misdirect their votes.” He said he had directed the Department of Public Safety to investigate whether state laws were violated and whether criminal charges or civil action are warranted, adding that “the evidence will determine what happens next.”
Peltola pushes back; campaign denies link
According to the New York Post, Peltola called the Times’ report a “distraction,” saying, “This is all stuff to sell newspapers. This is all stuff to get subscriptions.” The Western Journal reported that Peltola’s campaign has denied any connection to the so-called “Decoy Dan.”
