Over 61,000 Alaskan Ballots Cast Before General Election

President Donald Trump demanded criminal prosecution for Mary Peltola on Wednesday. The call came after reports indicated her campaign helped recruit a Republican opponent named Dan J. Sullivan. The general election is scheduled for Tuesday.

The New York Times obtained text messages from Peltola’s staff. The texts showed discussions about recruiting a candidate who shares the name of incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. The campaign selected a retired schoolteacher from Petersburg. He passed the state's August open primary and appears on the ranked choice ballot.

Trump previously directed the Department of Justice to sue to block the certification of the race. He cited the confusing presence of two Dan Sullivans. The president said on social media that Peltola should suffer legal and political consequences for her actions.

Peltola’s campaign denied any involvement with the other Sullivan’s run. They issued a statement saying Alaskans deserve a champion to lower costs and put the state first. Peltola called the news report a distraction from issues like Sen. Sullivan's support of the war in Iran. She described the story as a diversion to sell newspapers and subscriptions.

Dan J. Sullivan has denied running at the behest of Democrats. He stated in June that he had zero contact with Peltola’s campaign. A top state elections official initially ruled him ineligible, claiming his filing aimed to confuse voters. The Alaska Supreme Court later ruled he was qualified to remain on the ballot.

More than 61,000 ballots were cast by Tuesday, according to AP data. Sen. Sullivan is listed as the Republican incumbent. The other candidate is listed as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. with no party affiliation. The race is one of several Senate contests that could determine control of the chamber.

The Department of Justice lawsuit seeks to halt certification of a Peltola win. Legal experts said the new reports will not impact that specific lawsuit. The suit already cites the second Dan Sullivan on the ballot as a reason to challenge the election results.