Trump calls out Attorney General Todd Blanche at a rally and demands he prosecute Mary Peltola, accused by Republicans of recruiting a 'fake' Dan Sullivan to confuse Alaska's voters
"This is voter fraud at the highest level," the president said, who also stated that the "fake Dan Sullivan" should be prosecuted as well.
A file photo of President Donald Trump with Todd Blanche
President Donald Trump used his rally on Friday in Daytona Beach, Florida, to call for the prosecution of Mary Peltola, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Alaska, publicly calling out Attorney General Todd Blanche, who was in the audience.
"This is voter fraud at the highest level," the president said, referring to a case that is causing widespread outrage among Republicans.
To understand the complaint, you have to look at Alaska's ballot.
In the Senate race, two candidates share the same name. One is Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, who is seeking reelection and is listed as "Sullivan, Dan S." The other is Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher from Petersburg, a small fishing town in the southeastern part of the state, whom Republicans have dubbed "Decoy Dan." The Alaska Supreme Court allowed both to remain on the ballot, with the senator listed as the incumbent.
The issue escalated this week following an investigation published by The New York Times, according to which campaign operatives linked to Peltola's campaign and the Democratic leadership in the Senate sought to recruit candidates with that name to siphon votes away from the senator. In a system like Alaska's, with ranked-choice voting and multiple candidates on the general ballot, any confusion can make a difference. In fact, polls show Peltola barely ahead of Sullivan.
Meanwhile, Peltola denies any involvement. "I knew nothing," the former representative said, and her campaign, the Alaska Democratic Party, and the Senate Democratic Committee rejected the allegations. Daniel J. Sullivan describes himself as a moderate Republican and denies being a straw candidate.
Even so, the matter is already under several ongoing investigations. Alaska's Republican governor, Mike Dunleavy, ordered a state investigation to determine whether there were civil or criminal violations of election laws, and the House Oversight Committee launched its own investigation and, according to various media outlets, the Department of Justice sent subpoenas to Peltola's campaign and Sullivan's campaign.
President Trump, for his part, has been applying pressure for days. On Wednesday, he had already called on Truth Social for Peltola to be removed from the ballot and face legal consequences. In Daytona Beach, he addressed Blanche directly. "But she should be removed from the ballot and prosecuted. But he's going to make his own decision," he said, before adding that the "fake Dan Sullivan" should also be prosecuted.
Alaska voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, and so far, no charges have been filed against anyone.
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