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PoliticsQuiet 5d · day 7

Alaska 'Decoy Dan' Scandal Roils Sullivan-Peltola Senate Race

Allegations that Mary Peltola's campaign recruited a second 'Dan Sullivan' to split the vote spark voter confusion and GOP backlash in Alaska.

newest coverage 4d agosummary written 4d ago11 pieces NewswiresGoogle News

What to know

  • Allegations claim the Peltola campaign recruited a decoy candidate, Daniel J. Sullivan, to split votes from incumbent Sen. Daniel S. Sullivan.
  • Peltola denies knowledge of the scheme but says she has 'no idea' if her campaign was involved.
  • Voter interviews and ballot layout (including candidate Gerald Heikes) show real confusion among Alaska voters ahead of the vote.
  • Sen. Dan Sullivan has publicly criticized the tactic as the race heads toward a close, ranked-choice outcome.

“I totally forgot to look if there was two Dan Sullivans.”

Alaska voter, Anchorage voter interviewed by NewsNation · RedState / NewsNation clip ↗ · Nov 1

Mary PeltolaMary Peltola Democratic U.S. Senate nominee, AlaskaDaniel S. Sullivan Republican incumbent U.S. Senator, AlaskaDaniel J. Sullivan Alleged decoy candidateGerald Heikes Candidate listed as Republican on the ballot

Alaska 'Decoy Dan' Scandal Roils Sullivan-Peltola Senate Race
RedState

How it unfolded 5 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articles

Peak 3 pieces in two hours at Nov 2, 3 PM; 10 pieces over 7 days (10 articles) Nov 1, 11 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Newswires 2Nov 1, 1 PM — quietNov 1, 3 PM — quietNov 1, 5 PM — quietNov 1, 7 PM — quietNov 1, 9 PM — quietNov 1, 11 PM — quietNov 2, 1 AM — quietNov 2, 3 AM — quietNov 2, 5 AM — quietNov 2, 7 AM — quietNov 2, 9 AM — quietNov 2, 11 AM — quietNov 2, 1 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Nov 2, 3 PM — 3 pieces · 3 articles — Google News 3Nov 2, 5 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Nov 2, 7 PM — quietNov 2, 9 PM — quietNov 2, 11 PM — quietNov 3, 1 AM — quietNov 3, 3 AM — quietNov 3, 5 AM — quietNov 3, 7 AM — quietNov 3, 9 AM — quietNov 3, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Nov 3, 1 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Nov 3, 3 PM — quietNov 3, 5 PM — quietNov 3, 7 PM — quietNov 3, 9 PM — quietNov 3, 11 PM — quietNov 4, 1 AM — quietNov 4, 3 AM — quietNov 4, 5 AM — quietNov 4, 7 AM — quietNov 4, 9 AM — quietNov 4, 11 AM — quietNov 4, 1 PM — quietNov 4, 3 PM — quietNov 4, 5 PM — quietNov 4, 7 PM — quietNov 4, 9 PM — quietNov 4, 11 PM — quietNov 5, 1 AM — quietNov 5, 3 AM — quietNov 5, 5 AM — quietNov 5, 7 AM — quietNov 5, 9 AM — quietNov 5, 11 AM — quietNov 5, 1 PM — quietNov 5, 3 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Nov 5, 5 PM — quietNov 5, 7 PM — quietNov 5, 9 PM — quietNov 5, 11 PM — quietNov 6, 1 AM — quietNov 6, 3 AM — quietNov 6, 5 AM — quietNov 6, 7 AM — quietNov 6, 9 AM — quietNov 6, 11 AM — quietNov 6, 1 PM — quietNov 6, 3 PM — quietNov 6, 5 PM — quietNov 6, 7 PM — quietNov 6, 9 PM — quietNov 6, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quietToday, 5 AM — quietToday, 7 AM — quietToday, 9 AM — quiet 12–45
Nov 2Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6yesterdaynow · 11:25 AM ET
  1. 5

    RedState asks if Democrats 'jumped the shark' with decoy plot

    An opinion piece argues the alleged decoy-candidate strategy may have backfired, questioning whether it has damaged Democrats' standing ahead of the vote.

    1. 1 outlet first by RedState, 4d ago · read ↗

  2. 4

    Video shows Anchorage voter unsure which 'Dan Sullivan' he voted for

    RedState circulates a NewsNation clip of an Anchorage voter admitting he does not recall seeing a second 'Dan Sullivan' on the ballot, illustrating the confusion the alleged decoy scheme aimed to create.

    “I just…I might be just having a brain freeze. But I don’t remember the second Dan Sullivan.”
    — Alaska voter
    1. 1 outlet Watch: The 'Decoy Dan' Gambit Is Already Confusing Alaska Voters

      first by RedState, 5d ago

  3. 3

    Sen. Dan Sullivan blasts the 'Decoy Dan' tactic

    Incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan publicly criticizes the alleged decoy-candidate scheme as an attempt to manipulate the race.

    1. 3 outlets Alaska voter 'disgusted' by reported 'decoy Dan' plot switches from Peltola to Sullivan

      first by Yahoo, 5d ago · also WSJ, Fox News

      1 more headline
  4. 2

    Fox News reports voter switching from Peltola to Sullivan

    Fox News reports that an Alaska voter, described as 'disgusted' by the alleged decoy Dan plot, says he switched his vote from Peltola to Sullivan.

  5. 1

    WSJ profiles Alaska town grappling with 'Decoy Dan' fallout

    The Wall Street Journal reports on how an Alaska community is reckoning with the fallout from the decoy candidate scandal as the election nears.

    “Now It Is Serious…”
    — Wall Street Journal headline

    1. 2 outlets first by WSJ, 5d ago · also Wall Street Journal · read ↗

  6. background

    Peltola campaign allegedly recruits decoy 'Daniel J. Sullivan' — Reports surface alleging Mary Peltola's Senate campaign solicited a second candidate, Daniel J. Sullivan, to run against incumbent Sen. Daniel S. Sullivan in an effort to confuse voters and siphon votes from him. Peltola denies knowing about any such plan and says she has 'no idea' if anyone in her campaign was involved.