A second Republican named Dan Sullivan running for Alaska’s U.S. Senate seat said Monday that his candidacy is legitimate, pushing back against allegations from the incumbent senator that the race features a Democrat-backed sham candidate designed to confuse voters.
The challenger, who lives in the small fishing community of Petersburg, said in a telephone interview that sharing the name and party affiliation with the incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan gives him an “instant megaphone” in the crowded Republican primary. But he insisted the campaign is his own choice and not a scheme put up by Democrats.
Sullivan said friends for years have jokingly referred to him as senator and asked if he had ever thought about running. He said he has been considering a campaign for more than a decade.
Last week, the incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan accused the challenger of “trying to trick” voters and suggested his entry in the August primary was part of a coordinated effort by Democrats and former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola’s campaign to create confusion. Peltola, a Democrat, is considered the incumbent’s main rival in the race. The senator threatened litigation to investigate the matter.
The challenger dismissed the accusations. Peltola’s campaign and Democrats have denied any involvement in the challenger’s candidacy. The August primary will determine which candidates advance to the general election for Alaska’s Senate seat.