Trump presses criminal case against Peltola in Alaska Senate flap
Why it matters: The dispute has erupted days before a race that could help decide Senate control, with ranked-choice ballots already set.
President Donald Trump urged criminal charges against Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola after a report tied her campaign to efforts to recruit another Dan Sullivan for the ballot. The controversy centers on Dan J. Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher from Petersburg who advanced from Alaska’s August open primary and appears on next week’s ranked-choice general election ballot alongside Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Trump also has pushed his Justice Department to try to block certification if Peltola wins. Peltola’s campaign did not address the recruitment claim directly and said she entered the race to lower costs for Alaskans. The Alaska Supreme Court previously ruled Dan J. Sullivan qualified to run after an elections official had found him ineligible.