Judge dismisses DOJ bid to delay Alaska Senate results if Republican loses

On November 1, 2026, a federal judge dismissed the Trump administration's lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice to delay certification of Alaska’s Senate election results if Republican Senator Dan Sullivan loses. The lawsuit aimed to prevent certification if Mary Peltola, the Democratic candidate, won under conditions where votes might have been mistakenly cast for a similar-sounding name, "Decoy Dan" Sullivan, rather than the incumbent Dan Sullivan. Judge Sharon Gleason found no merit in this claim and dismissed it, citing concerns over voter privacy rights. The Justice Department argued that such ballots should be segregated to investigate potential voter confusion, but was met with criticism from election law experts who considered these demands impractical and potentially violating voter rights. This legal challenge highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and states leading up to the crucial midterm elections.