Blanche won't rule out DOJ role in state election certification

California mail-in ballot lawsuit preceded Alaska certification suit

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Attorney General Todd Blanche would not rule out the possibility of Justice Department involvement in state certification processes. Blanche said the department did not intend, and had never intended, to interfere improperly with elections, the state confirmation process or certification, but he would not rule out a circumstance in which the department would improperly interfere. “It is not DOJ’s intention to, and it’s never our intention, to improperly interfere with elections or the state confirmation process or certification process. But you know, to say that there’s no circumstance in which we would ever do that, of course, I’m not going to say that,” Blanche said.

The comments came as the Justice Department pursued two lawsuits ahead of the 2026 midterms, one challenging ballot counting in California and the other seeking to block certification of Alaska’s Senate results. Last week, the department sued California in an attempt to block the state from counting mail-in ballots received from 20,000 people whom the Trump administration says may not be U.S. citizens. On Thursday, it sued Alaska and asked a federal court in the state to prevent certification of the state’s Senate results if the Republican candidate loses. The Wall Street Journal described the Alaska case as the second major intervention by Trump’s Justice Department before the midterms.

The Alaska ballot includes retiree Dan J. Sullivan Jr. in addition to Republican incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, who The Wall Street Journal described as being in an extremely close race with Democratic challenger Mary Peltola.

During the primary, the Alaska Republican Party unsuccessfully tried to get Daniel J. Sullivan off the ballot, arguing that the recently registered Republican was a Democratic plant. Daniel J. Sullivan denied that allegation in an interview with The Wall Street Journal last month.

The Alaska Supreme Court ruled that both Sullivans could appear on the ballot. Both candidates are listed with middle initials, and the incumbent senator’s party affiliation appears next to his name. The Justice Department nevertheless argues that allowing the similarly named retiree to appear creates a risk of voter confusion.

The Justice Department’s lawsuit alleges that “Daniel J. Sullivan decided to run for Senator in 2026 as a Republican with the intention of misleading supporters of Senator Sullivan into voting for him,” and that “the sole purpose of his candidacy is to benefit the Peltola campaign.” The department argues that if Alaska certifies any electoral results “tainted” by the similarly named challenger’s inclusion on the ballot, the state and its officers will have failed in their obligation to protect the integrity of the election.

President Trump said in a social-media post earlier this week that he was “very concerned” it would be “totally confusing” to have two Dan Sullivans on the ballot. He alleged that Democrats were behind the challenge and said his administration was “looking at powerful legal options” to remove Daniel J. Sullivan from the ballot.

U.S. Sen. Dan S. Sullivan has held his office since 2015. The Wall Street Journal reported that Alaska is among at least 10 battleground states this year that could determine control of the Senate.