Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) has declared that he will not certify the state’s upcoming U.S. Senate election results if doing so would involve sending a “scam” to Washington. The warning comes as his administration initiates an investigation into allegations that Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee operatives and Mary Peltola’s campaign orchestrated a ballot-stacking scheme involving a candidate named Dan J. Sullivan of Petersburg.
Dunleavy told NewsNation’s Blake Burman the state is “ready to do whatever we need to do” to ensure election credibility. He emphasized that if wrongdoing is confirmed, certification could be halted or altered, stating: “This strikes at the heart of our republican form of government.” The governor noted that initial concerns about Dan J. Sullivan’s candidacy arose when he requested to appear on the ballot as “Daniel S. Sullivan,” a detail Dunleavy called suspicious given the incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan’s middle name begins with an “S.”
The Alaska Division of Elections ruled in June that Dan J. Sullivan was ineligible, but the state Supreme Court later reinstated his name on the ballot. Dunleavy described this as “the tip of the iceberg” now growing larger following recent allegations. His office has directed the Department of Public Safety to investigate whether criminal charges or civil action are warranted under Alaska law.
Dunleavy confirmed the investigation will proceed despite the approaching election deadline, stating it could take time before a decision is made. “We aren’t going to send a scam to Washington,” he said. The governor warned that if illegal activity is proven, certification might be blocked, potentially impacting who seats the Senate vacancy.
The U.S. Justice Department separately sued Alaska last week seeking to block certification of the Senate race results in case Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan loses by a narrow margin, claiming the lawsuit protects election integrity. Peltola’s campaign and Dan J. Sullivan’s team have not yet responded to requests for comment on the allegations.
