Certification lawsuit cites potential voter confusion involving Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.
A little more than a week before the Nov. 3 midterm election, Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan and former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, the leading candidates in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race, appeared at this week’s Alaska Federation of Natives conference in Anchorage to seek support from Alaska Native voters, a key constituency. The Associated Press reported that the race is among the most closely watched nationally and that control of the Senate is at stake. Both candidates also highlighted support from Native organizations and leaders.
On Friday, President Donald Trump, who had held a rally in support of Sullivan earlier in the month, said he told his administration to sue to block certification of the race if the incumbent lost. The lawsuit cites potential voter confusion with another candidate on the ranked choice ballot, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. Sullivan is listed as a Republican and the incumbent; Sullivan Jr. is listed without a party designation. U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote on social media that the suit was needed so officials “have the information necessary to make a determination as to whether Alaskan voters were confused or mislead.”
The Alaska Federation of Natives previously endorsed Peltola, who is Yup’ik, during her House races in 2022 and 2024 but did not issue endorsements this year. Sealaska Corp., a regional Native corporation in southeast Alaska, endorsed both Sullivan and Peltola, calling the action a way to “honor their contributions and commitment to our communities, and to honor the diverse positions of our shareholders.”
Alaska Natives represent about one-fifth of the state’s population, but they can face challenges to voting in remote communities. Advocates have raised concerns in recent years that polling locations in some villages open late or, because of mail delays, ballots do not arrive in time to be fully counted. The Associated Press reported that cynicism also existed about whether participating in elections would make a difference.
Actor and activist Dallas Goldtooth, who is Bdewakantunwan Dakota and Dine, came to Alaska to encourage conference attendees to vote. Goldtooth said, “There’s legitimate hesitations about whether whoever they vote for is actually going to impact them,” then continued: “And our job is to say, hey, whether that matters or not, there’s an opportunity for you to make sure that your voice is counted. And I want to encourage people just to take the opportunity as much as possible.”
Sheri Buretta, who chairs the board of Chugach Alaska Corp., an Alaska Native corporation, introduced Sullivan to the conference Thursday as “one of our strongest champions.” Speaking as part of a congressional delegation update, Sullivan said he had learned important lessons from Native leaders. He cited his work to ensure Alaska Native Vietnam War-era veterans could obtain access to land allotments.
At a candidate forum Friday, Peltola became emotional while discussing what she called the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people and said additional law-enforcement resources were needed. She also expressed support for fisheries. The Associated Press reported that subsistence fishing is critical in many Native communities. “I will always fight to restore our fisheries. I feel like working on fish issues is my life’s work,” she said.
Energy was also a crucial issue in Alaska, including within Native communities. Peltola recently said Alaska Natives were being “absolutely crushed” by high costs from the ongoing war with Iran, which Sullivan has supported. Many rural communities rely on diesel for electricity and home heating. Sullivan has argued that the war against Iran is temporary and that the “forever war is the Democrats’ war against Alaskan energy.”
Many Native leaders on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope see responsible oil drilling as critical to their region’s economy, and they felt their voices were not heard while Democratic President Joe Biden was in office. Biden’s administration sought to restrict drilling in places such as the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, while Trump and the Republican-led Congress have rolled those efforts back, according to the Associated Press.
Peltola said she supports expanded oil and gas drilling and would work with Trump to accomplish that. The Associated Press reported that Sullivan and his allies have tried to align her with “Lower 48 liberals” who oppose more drilling.
Becky Bohrer reported from Juneau, Alaska.