The U.S. Senate race in Alaska is set to feature two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the November ballot, alongside Democrat Mary Peltola. Preliminary results released by the state Division of Elections indicate that Peltola leads the Senate race with 48% of the vote, while Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan, the incumbent, is in second place with 43%.
Peltola, who previously served as Alaska’s U.S. House representative from September 2022 to January 2025, held a watch party in downtown Anchorage where she criticized Trump administration policies and Senator Sullivan for not opposing them. She stated that Senator Sullivan consistently votes in favor of corporate interests across various sectors, including healthcare, fuel, groceries, transportation, and heating.
Dan J. Sullivan, a registered Republican from Petersburg, is trailing the leading candidates but appears likely to secure a spot on the November ballot. This situation has drawn concern from Republicans, who have attempted to prevent his inclusion on the ballot, fearing voters might mistakenly cast ballots for him instead of the incumbent. Former President Donald Trump endorsed Senator Sullivan and referred to the other Sullivan as an imposter in a social media post, urging voters to support the incumbent.
Petersburg Dan Sullivan maintains he is not attempting to mislead voters. He expressed his dissatisfaction with his name being associated with political positions he opposes and stated his intention to offer an alternative. The Alaska Democratic Party and the Peltola campaign have denied any involvement in Petersburg Sullivan’s candidacy, and his fundraising records do not indicate significant partisan support, with most contributions coming from Petersburg.
The fourth position in the Senate race remains too close to call, with Democrat David Leslie holding a narrow lead of approximately two dozen votes over Republican Gerald Heikes, based on preliminary results from a majority of Alaska precincts. This Senate race is one of four nationwide classified as a toss-up, attracting substantial campaign funding from across the country, much of it through partisan fundraising platforms like ActBlue and Winred. By the end of July, Senator Sullivan had raised nearly $12 million, while Peltola had raised over $18 million. Additionally, newly established super PACs have spent more than $3 million to support minor candidates, including Heikes and Leslie, in an effort to draw votes away from major contenders.
