Texts and Interviews Tie Peltola Aides to Sullivan Spoiler Effort
The investigation, based on interviews, text messages and documents, said Peltola campaign staff sought names of Alaskans called Dan Sullivan in 2025 and later worked with operatives trying to recruit candidates who could divide support for Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. The candidates include Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from Petersburg, who is on the ballot against the senator, Peltola and Republican Gerald Heikes.
The effort allegedly involved Peltola campaign legal advisers and staff members of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). An operative, identified as Jerid Kurtz, reportedly helped recruit Dan J. Sullivan and Gerald Heikes, and persuaded Democrat David Leslie to leave the race. Leslie’s exit opened a place on the ballot for Heikes. The investigation also described discussions about forming a new party to attract conservative voters; that idea did not proceed.
Peltola’s campaign and the DSCC have denied involvement in recruiting Republican candidates. Her former campaign manager, Elisa Rios, provided information to the investigation but attempted to retract her comments shortly before its publication. The report said other interviews and messages supported its findings. Dan J. Sullivan has denied previously having contact with Peltola’s campaign.
Alaska’s Supreme Court allowed Dan J. Sullivan to remain on the ballot after an elections official ruled him ineligible, saying his candidacy could compromise ballot fairness. The Justice Department has sued Alaska over his candidacy, seeking to halt certification if Peltola wins. Legal experts said the newly described recruitment effort would not change the lawsuit’s outcome. Voting was underway ahead of the November 3 election.
A Spoiler Scheme Raises Questions About Campaign Ethics—and Election Rules
The allegations put a troubling campaign tactic in the spotlight: Democratic operatives reportedly sought candidates who could divide Republican support, including a retired teacher whose name closely matches Sen. Dan Sullivan’s. The investigation described campaign aides compiling a list of Alaskans named Dan Sullivan and operatives recruiting candidates for the ballot.
The effort allegedly reached beyond one candidate. Operative Jerid Kurtz reportedly helped recruit Dan J. Sullivan and Gerald Heikes, while Democrat David Leslie said Kurtz urged him to withdraw. Leslie’s exit cleared a ballot spot for Heikes. Campaign lawyers and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee staffers were also reportedly involved in discussions, including an unpursued idea for a new party aimed at conservative voters.
Peltola’s campaign and the DSCC deny recruiting Republican candidates. Dan J. Sullivan has also denied contact with Peltola’s campaign. Those denials deserve scrutiny alongside the investigation’s interviews, messages and documents; the public should be able to judge the evidence without political spin from either party. The account also notes that Republican-aligned groups have supported spoiler candidates elsewhere this election cycle.
The Alaska Supreme Court allowed Dan J. Sullivan to stay on the ballot, and the Justice Department has sued Alaska over his candidacy. Legal experts say the new allegations will not affect that lawsuit. With voting underway before November 3, the immediate stakes are voter confidence and the choices Alaska voters make—not an attempt to have courts decide the race.
Peltola Spoiler Allegations Put Denials and Voter Trust Under Scrutiny
The new account gives substance to Republican concerns that a second candidate named Dan Sullivan was recruited to confuse voters and weaken the incumbent. It says Peltola campaign aides searched for people with that name, while Democratic operatives worked to recruit Dan J. Sullivan and other candidates who could alter the Republican vote.
The alleged operation was broader than one lookalike candidate. Operative Jerid Kurtz reportedly recruited Dan J. Sullivan and Gerald Heikes, and persuaded Democrat David Leslie to withdraw, creating an opening for Heikes on the ballot. The investigation also described Peltola campaign lawyers and DSCC aides discussing a possible new party to draw conservative voters. The campaign and DSCC deny recruiting Republican candidates, but the investigation cites interviews, messages and documents, including information from former campaign manager Elisa Rios.
Alaskans should take seriously the gap between those denials and the reported evidence. Sen. Sullivan’s campaign accused Peltola and her advisers of working with Democratic operatives to mislead voters. Dan J. Sullivan has previously denied contact with Peltola’s campaign, and the allegations remain disputed.
The Alaska Supreme Court let Dan J. Sullivan remain on the ballot, while the Justice Department has sued Alaska over his candidacy. Legal experts say the new account will not alter that case. With voting underway before November 3, the controversy puts the fairness of the campaign and voters’ ability to distinguish the candidates at the center of the race.
Reported by Hot Air, The Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily Mail US, Newsweek, Breitbart, New York Post, CNN, Townhall, PJ Media, Reason, Fox News, The Blaze, The Guardian US, Denver7, KTVU FOX 2, ABC News, Slate, CBS News, WBUR, The Daily Wire, Twitchy, MSNBC, The Conversation US, The Christian Science Monitor.
