GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola advance to battleground Senate election in Alaska
GOP Senator Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola are set to face off in Alaska's general election, though the race is complicated by the presence of a second candidate named Dan J. Sullivan. Federal authorities are investigating whether the second candidate's entry is a deliberate attempt to confuse voters.
Why it matters
The race is a critical component of the Democratic strategy to regain control of the Senate, and the 'same-name' controversy introduces significant electoral uncertainty.
GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola will face off in November for Alaska’s Senate seat, with NBC News projecting that both candidates will advance to the general election. But it’s not yet clear whether another Dan Sullivan will also be on the November ballot. Democrats view this race as a key part of their strategy to take the Senate majority as the party tries to net four seats to take control of the chamber. And the presence of a candidate with the same name as the incumbent could add a new degree of uncertainty in November. Alaska has a unique top-four primary, with candidates from all parties competing on the same primary ballot and the top four finishers advancing to the November general election, which is decided by ranked-choice voting.
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