Alaska Primary Produces Unusual Senate Race Matchup With Two Dan Sullivans Advancing

Alaska voters sent an unconventional Senate matchup toward November’s general election Tuesday, clearing the way for both Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan and a challenger bearing his same name to compete for the seat. The primary results also advanced Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola to the November contest, with one additional candidate still to be determined once all ballots are counted.

Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from Petersburg, fought his way onto the ballot after a state elections official initially rejected his candidacy based on concerns he intended to confuse voters. The incumbent senator and Republican allies had raised these allegations, but Alaska’s Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of the challenger’s eligibility. Election authorities listed him as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. without party affiliation, while designating the incumbent as Dan S. Sullivan, Republican.

The challenger has criticized the incumbent’s embrace of President Donald Trump’s endorsement, arguing the president prioritized tariff increases over addressing grocery prices, housing costs, and energy expenses. Trump had publicly backed the sitting senator while characterizing the other Sullivan’s candidacy as a voter-confusion tactic.

Alaska’s ranked choice voting system means even lower-finishing candidates could influence the final outcome if their supporters indicate secondary preferences. The Senate race represents one of the nation’s most closely watched competitive contests heading into the general election.

The state continues accepting absentee and overseas ballots for 10 days following the primary election, provided they were postmarked by election day. Additional results may determine which candidate fills the fourth general election slot.