The House Oversight Committee launched an investigation into the allegations that Alaska Senate Democratic nominee Mary Peltola’s campaign plotted to confuse the voters in one of the tightest Senate races this cycle.
Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) requested transcribed interviews with Peltola’s former campaign manager Elisa Rios and Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz, both of whom have been reported to be involved in the recruitment of the other Dan J. Sullivan, who shares the same name as incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan (R-AK).
“Knowing they can’t win on the issues, Democrats schemed to rig the U.S. Senate election in Alaska by deliberately confusing voters,” Comer wrote in a statement. “This is part of a broader pattern of misconduct by today’s Democrat Party.”
The New York Times reported Wednesday the Peltola campaign coordinated with Democratic operatives to recruit a second Dan Sullivan to be on the Senate ballot to deliberately confuse voters. The outlet cited Rios as a key source. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and other Democratic operatives coordinated with Democratic operatives to carry out the scheme, Rios said in interviews she later attempted to retract before publication.
Alaska utilizes a distinct primary system in which the top four vote-getters, regardless of party, advance from the primary to the general election. The other Dan Sullivan placed third during the primary.
The requested interviews for Rios are set for Nov. 5 and Kurtz on Nov. 6, just days after the November election.
“Alaskan voters need to know,” Rios said. “There was a lot of speculation, and voters should get the full picture when making their decisions.”
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The Peltola campaign and the Alaska Democratic Party have claimed they are not affiliated with the second Sullivan.
The Justice Department argued that the second Sullivan’s candidacy was deliberately planted by Democrats to confuse voters who believe they are voting for Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, pointing to a New York Times interview he did earlier this year, where he admitted to voting for Peltola in her previous House bids, and voting for the Democratic nominee in the last three presidential elections.