Watch: DOJ officials hold press conference on Alaska Dan Sullivan controversy

As of October 31, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating potential voter confusion in Alaska's Senate race due to the presence of two candidates named Dan Sullivan: incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan and a lesser-known retired teacher, Dan J. Sullivan, who was recruited by Democratic operatives. The DOJ seeks a court order to isolate certain ballots to investigate this issue further. The FBI has also begun contacting donors to Dan J. Sullivan's campaign, including one donor in his hometown of Flint who gave $500 over the summer. This investigation follows reports that Mary Peltola’s campaign and senior Democratic officials were involved in a secret effort to recruit a "decoy" candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan to confuse voters and potentially sway the election, which could determine control of the Senate.