Alaskan voters will again be faced in November with two Senate candidates named Dan Sullivan after both men advanced from the state’s all-party primary Tuesday to the general election.
Results on Wednesday showed Dan J. Sullivan Jr., a retired schoolteacher, was projected to finish among the top four vote-getters who advance from the 16-candidate field. Sullivan is a former Democrat and is running as a Republican.
Former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola placed first with 48% of the vote, followed by Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, the Republican incumbent who has no relation to the other Sullivan, with just under 43%. Both advanced to the general election early Wednesday morning.
The second Sullivan came in a distant third with less than 2.5%. The fourth-place candidate hasn’t been declared as of Wednesday morning.
The second Sullivan’s candidacy is something Sen. Sullivan and GOP allies vigorously fought to prevent, including by trying to disqualify him from the ballot for deceiving voters. However, they were unsuccessful.
The contest between Peltola and Sullivan, who is seeking a third term, is rated a “toss-up” battleground matchup that could help determine control of the Senate.
SULLIVAN AND PELTOLA ADVANCE IN ALASKA SENATE PRIMARY, SETTING UP NOVEMBER SHOWDOWN
The second Sullivan has denied accusations that he’s a plant tied to Peltola designed to foil Sen. Sullivan’s reelection. Meanwhile, Peltola has distanced herself from national Democrats as she seeks a statewide seat in a state President Donald Trump won by 13 points.
The Justice Department has issued grand jury subpoenas as part of a federal investigation into the second Sullivan’s candidacy, according to media reports.