Alaska Senate race controversy continues, puts election tactics in the spotlight

A New York Times investigation into an alleged scheme to confuse voters has prompted criticism from media personalities and politicians.

The New York Times’ explosive report earlier this week about a hotly-contested Senate race in Alaska is still producing aftershocks.

The Times’ Kellen Browning reported that the campaign of Mary Peltola, the Democratic candidate for Senate, wanted to track down and convince people named Dan Sullivan to run for Senate in an effort to confuse voters and draw votes away from the Republican candidate, also named Dan Sullivan. Peltola’s campaign has denied any wrongdoing, but there are, indeed, two Dan Sullivans now on the ballot.

And now Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy is ordering an investigation into whether Peltola should face criminal charges or civil action over the accusations. Dunleavy posted on X late Wednesday that the Times reporting revealed “disturbing new evidence of an organized effort to manipulate Alaska’s elections.”