Alaska Senate candidate Peltola denies knowledge of Dan Sullivan plot

Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola has denied any involvement in an alleged scheme that placed two men named Dan Sullivan on the Alaska ballot.

Peltola told voters on Thursday that she “knew nothing about any other candidate on the ballot except for me and the incumbent” and rejected accusations that her campaign was trying to confuse voters.

The controversy follows a report by The New York Times claiming that people linked to Peltola’s team and senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee attempted to recruit Dan J Sullivan, a retired teacher from a remote fishing village, as a spoiler candidate. The paper said it had seen text messages and spoken to 12 sources involved in the effort.

Both Dan S Sullivan, the incumbent Republican senator, and his allies have alleged that the Democrats were seeking to mislead voters. The Alaska governor, Mike Dunleavy, ordered an official inquiry earlier this week, and the U.S. Department of Justice has issued subpoenas to Democratic officials allegedly connected to the recruitment.

Legal action is ongoing, with a federal judge set to consider motions to dismiss the DOJ’s lawsuit, which was amended to include the Times report. The race is viewed as a toss‑up that could decide control of the U.S. Senate.

Source: BBC News. Photo: Edmond Dantès / Pexels.