Mary Peltola Faces Investigations Over Decoy Candidate Scheme

Democratic candidate Mary Peltola and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee are under state and federal investigation following allegations they recruited a decoy candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan to confuse voters in the race against incumbent Republican Senator Daniel S. Sullivan. A New York Times investigation cited internal documents and former campaign manager Elisa Rios, who stated Peltola was "definitely aware" of the operation, though Peltola and the Democratic Party have denied the claims.

The Elias Law Group, led by lawyer Marc Elias, was identified as being involved in the effort. Federal subpoenas have been issued in Alaska, and Governor Mike Dunleavy Jr. and House Republicans have launched their own investigations. The controversy comes as tens of thousands of ballots have already been cast featuring the decoy candidate, potentially leading to legal challenges regarding Peltola's seat if she wins.

The United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit to address the scheme, but a federal judge dismissed the case on Sunday, citing a lack of standing and concerns over voter secrecy. The department has indicated it intends to appeal the decision. These events coincide with a vote on Ballot Measure 2, which seeks to repeal Alaska's 2020 electoral reforms, including ranked-choice voting, and return the state to partisan primaries.