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Alaska Senate candidate ‘Decoy’ Dan Sullivan missing on Election Day as Trump alleges ‘criminal act’

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Cite

Nelson, S. (2026, November 3). Alaska Senate candidate ‘Decoy’ Dan Sullivan missing on Election Day as Trump alleges ‘criminal act’. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/11/03/us-news/alaska-senate-candidate-decoy-dan-sullivan-missing-on-election-day-as-trump-alleges-criminal-act/

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New York Post · collected 2026-11-03 · by Steven Nelson

Quick Summary

On Election Day, independent Alaska Senate candidate Daniel J. Sullivan, known as “Decoy Dan,” was missing while serious candidates campaigned for votes. President Trump accused Sullivan of committing a "criminal act," and the Justice Department is investigating his candidacy which was reportedly staged to benefit Democratic candidate Mary Peltola. With ranked-choice voting in place, concerns are high that Sullivan could distract from Sen. Daniel S. Sullivan’s Republican campaign if Peltola leads but lacks a clear majority.
Written by AI on 2026-11-03, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Daniel J. Sullivan, an independent Senate candidate from Alaska whose name is almost identical to that of incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan, left his hometown of Petersburg and has been missing since early October 2026, according to multiple sources and recent FBI investigations. The FBI began contacting donors of Dan J. Sullivan on Friday, as the federal authorities ramped up their criminal probe into potential deception by the candidate.

The case intensified when a New York Times article alleged that Mary Peltola, the Democratic Senate candidate in Alaska, had recruited Dan J. Sullivan to run as an independent to potentially harm Senator Sullivan's reelection chances. This led to FBI visits to donors and federal officials requesting court orders to isolate certain ballots due to potential voter confusion. As of Election Day 2026, President Trump has accused Dan J. Sullivan of committing a "criminal act," though specific details remain unclear.

The investigation has significant implications for the upcoming election in Alaska, which uses ranked-choice voting, potentially delaying results if there is no clear winner on election night.

Written for “FBI Investigates Dan Sullivan Donors” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 7 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted verbatim and was checked against the article text before being stored, so you can find it in the original.
Reading Leans right (beta estimate) Confidence high
Leaning: leans right for article 126268 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-11-03

Story

📰 FBI Investigates Dan Sullivan Donors
Crime & Law · 8 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

Compared with similar articles

This article reads leans right and hedges 17% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Alaska Senate candidate at center of Democrat sabotage plot flees town as neighbors expose his 'hoax' campaign and criminal probe intensifies Same event
Daily Mail
⚖️ Leans strongly right further right than this Hedges 7 of 26 claims Outlet record 69/100
Massive blow for Trump as judge throws out his bid to block Alaska Senate results if Dan Sullivan loses Different event
Daily Mail
⚖️ Leans left further left than this Hedges 6 of 22 claims Outlet record 69/100
“The articles describe different aspects of the election situation involving 'Decoy Dan' Sullivan: Article A discusses a judge dismissing Trump's bid to block Alaska Senate results, while Article B reports on Sullivan being missing on Election Day and accusations from Trump.”
In Alaska fishing community, the Dan Sullivan episode takes an ominous turn as FBI comes knocking Same event
The Independent
Hedges 3 of 54 claims Outlet record 59/100
In Alaska fishing community, the Dan Sullivan episode takes an ominous turn as FBI comes knocking Same event
Toronto Star
Hedges 3 of 51 claims Outlet record 64/100
Trump admin puts alleged 'Decoy Dan' conspirators on notice in Alaska election spoiler probe Different event
Fox News
⚖️ Leans right Hedges 2 of 27 claims Outlet record 68/100
“Article A reports on 'Decoy Dan' Sullivan's disappearance and President Trump's accusation on Election Day, while Article B discusses a broader investigation launched by the Justice Department into his campaign activities.”
Neighbors of Alaska's second Dan Sullivan can't agree on if he's "a nice guy" or "a hoaxer" Different event
CBS News
Hedges 0 of 3 claims Outlet record 65/100
“The articles describe different stages of the same incident but are not reporting on the exact same occurrence at the same time and place.”
Revealed: Alaskan voters tell the Daily Mail whether they'll vote for Democrat Mary Peltola or Republican Dan Sullivan after 'decoy' drama shakes up crucial race Different event
Daily Mail
Hedges 3 of 40 claims Outlet record 69/100
“The articles describe different aspects of the 'decoy' drama in Alaska's Senate race occurring at separate times, with Article A discussing voter reactions after a report and Article B focusing on Election Day developments.”
Report on alleged ‘second Dan Sullivan’ effort emerges after nearly 1 in 10 Alaskans voted Different event
Fox News
Hedges 5 of 22 claims Outlet record 68/100
“While both articles discuss the alleged recruitment of 'Decoy Dan Sullivan', ARTICLE A reports on the initial revelation before Election Day, while ARTICLE B discusses the situation on Election Day with Trump's accusation.”
Alaska's all-important Senate race is roiled by a report on alleged spoiler candidate Different event
NPR
Hedges 8 of 31 claims Outlet record 60/100
“The articles cover different aspects of the incident: Article A discusses the report alleging Democratic operatives recruited a 'spoiler' candidate, while Article B focuses on the missing independent Senate candidate named Dan Sullivan on Election Day.”
Trump ask to set aside ‘Decoy Dan’ Alaska Senate ballots ‘not even possible’: attorneys Different event
New York Post
⚖️ Leans left further left than this Hedges 0 of 11 claims Outlet record 66/100
“Article A discusses Trump's attempt to set aside ballots in Alaska Senate race, while Article B focuses on the missing 'Decoy Dan' Sullivan on Election Day and Trump's accusation of a criminal act.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
18
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
17%
3 of 18 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans right
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
66/100
New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
8
Crime & Law
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-11-03 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

New York Post · 16741 article(s) · 36 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 36 correction(s)
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Who wrote this

Steven Nelson
57 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 Alaska has ranked-choice voting, which could protract tabulations if there isn’t a clear winner.
2026-11-03 · assertive framing · Alaska Senate candidate ‘Decoy’ Dan Sullivan missing on Election Day as Trump alleges ‘criminal act’
🔮 First lady Melania Trump will host Russia-Ukraine peace talks at the White House on Thursday in hopes of building upon a limited cease-fire she brokered for a besieged Ukrainian city.
2026-11-03 · assertive framing · Melania Trump will host Russia-Ukraine peace talks at White House
🔮 If Democrats take the Senate, Trump will have a much harder time winning confirmation for nominees to administration and judicial roles — and will face even more investigations.
2026-11-02 · assertive framing · Trump cut final Michigan stop in favor of Reflecting Pool speech
🔮 President Trump had a one-word answer to whether he would resume attacks on Iran after the midterm elections.
2026-11-02 · assertive framing · Trump gives blunt, one-word answer on if he’ll resume Iran strikes after midterms
🔮 Trump said he hoped that voters would do “the right thing,” but acknowledged history isn’t on his side. “For some reason, the sitting president doesn’t win the midterms, but we gave this a very strong shot,” he said, noting his 29 rallies across the country.
2026-11-02 · assertive framing · Trump renews promise of $5K payout if GOP retains Congress in Midterm eve speech at Lincoln Reflecting Pool
🔮 President Trump’s allies are bracing for legal bills that could reach into the millions as Democrats ready for investigations if they win the Tuesday midterm elections — but the administration is preparing to fight back and has a new tool to drag out proceedings.
2026-11-02 · mixed framing · Trump allies brace for massive legal bills if GOP loses midterms — but have new way to fight Dem probes
🔮 The probe was closed in 2021 by the Biden administration — two years after she entered Congress — after authorities determined the alleged crime was outside a five-year statute of limitations, meaning it would have had to have been charged in 2014 at the latest.
2026-10-30 · assertive framing · Ilhan Omar was so confused by marriage to ‘brother’ she crossed out her own name twice on official application
🔮 “They thought they could get away with their crimes.
2026-10-30 · assertive framing · Anti-fraud raids net four who allegedly stole $41M from federal programs in Minnesota: ‘We’re kicking butt’
🔮 WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday hosted the recently released American inmate Stephen Hubbard at the White House — with the retired English teacher and veteran telling Trump he “wouldn’t have lasted another year” in Russian custody.
2026-10-30 · assertive framing · Freed Russian prisoner Stephen Hubbard tells Trump ‘I wouldn’t have lasted another year,’ during emotional Oval Office visit
🔮 After moving to the more conservative suburban Will County, he requested Republican primary ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016.
2026-10-30 · assertive framing · Why Pope Leo is legally allowed to vote in US election — despite being leader of Vatican City
Also by Steven Nelson
Melania Trump will host Russia-Ukraine peace talks at White House
2026-11-03 · New York Post
Trump cut final Michigan stop in favor of Reflecting Pool speech
2026-11-02 · New York Post
Trump gives blunt, one-word answer on if he’ll resume Iran strikes after midterms
2026-11-02 · New York Post
Trump renews promise of $5K payout if GOP retains Congress in Midterm eve speech at Lincoln Reflecting Pool
2026-11-02 · New York Post
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 57 articles by Steven Nelson →

Topics

Alaska Democratic Republican Senate WASHINGTON

Subjects

Republican NORP · 5× Sullivan PERSON · 5× Peltola PERSON · 4× Heikes PERSON · 3× Senate ORG · 3× Alaska GPE · 2× Daniel J. Sullivan PERSON · 2× Trump PERSON · 2× Daniel S. Sullivan PERSON · 1× WASHINGTON GPE · 1×

Narrative

“Decoy Dan,” a retired school teacher, was recruited to run by the campaign of Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola, the New York Times reported last week, prompting a Justice Department investigation and DOJ litigation to stall certification of the election results if Peltola wins.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-11-03
🔮 Alaska has ranked-choice voting, which could protract tabulations if there isn’t a clear winner.
2026-11-03 · New York Post
Alaska Senate candidate ‘Decoy’ Dan Sullivan missing on Election Day as Trump alleges ‘criminal act’ · assertive framing

Claims (18 extracted, 3 hedged)

Daniel J. Sullivan, the independent Alaska Senate candidate with the same name as incumbent Republican Sen. Daniel S. Sullivan, remained missing on Election Day as President Trump accused him of committing a “criminal act.” asserted
Trump → remain → act
While serious candidates typically stump for votes in the final hours of the midterm election, the mysterious Sullivan was not holding campaign events — and was nowhere to be found. asserted
Sullivan → stump → events
“Decoy Dan,” a retired school teacher, was recruited to run by the campaign of Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola, the New York Times reported last week, prompting a Justice Department investigation and DOJ litigation to stall certification of the election results if Peltola wins. asserted
Peltola → recruit → results
Sullivan left his small hometown of Petersburg last Monday, CBS News reported, with a former student spotting him on a flight to Anchorage. asserted
student → leave → Anchorage
He did not respond to an email or text message from The Post on Tuesday. asserted
He → respond → Tuesday
His voicemail played a lengthy Halloween-themed message. asserted
voicemail → play → message
Alaska has ranked-choice voting, which could protract tabulations if there isn’t a clear winner. uncertain
which → have → tabulations
Although voters could in theory vote for both Sullivans, with the long-shot candidate’s votes being reallocated to the Republican through the ranked-choice process, GOP leaders are concerned about losing any votes with polls showing Peltola narrowly ahead or tied with the Republican. uncertain
Peltola → vote → Republican
“It’s a total fraud. asserted
It → ’ → ?
It’s a fraud on the voters. asserted
It → ’ → voters
And it’s a criminal act,” Trump said Tuesday morning in an interview with “Fox & Friends.” asserted
Trump → ’ → Fox
There are four candidates who will appear on the ballot. asserted
who → be → ballot
A sample form shows that Sen. Sullivan is identified as the incumbent and a Republican; Peltola is identified as a Democrat; and the other Sullivan has no party label. asserted
Sullivan → show → label
In a further twist, the fourth candidate, drywall contractor Gerald Heikes, is identified as a Republican. asserted
candidate → identify → Republican
Heikes told the Times that he was recruited “by a guy from the Midwest” who told him, “Hey, if you go and file to run for Senate, we’ll back you — we can’t give you money or anything, but we’ll make things happen for you.” asserted
things → tell → you
Concern about the lesser-known Sullivan and Heikes siphoning votes may be well-founded. uncertain
Concern → know → votes
The state’s Aug. 18 jungle primary, which featured candidates of all party affiliations, saw Daniel J. Sullivan take 2.5% of the vote and Heikes 1.1%, with both advancing to the general election. asserted
both → feature → election
The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Peltola leading the general election contest by 1 percentage point. asserted
Peltola → show → point
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