Alaska Senate race turns on ‘decoy Dan’ dispute as polls close
What's new: A judge dismissed the Justice Department's bid to block certification if Mary Peltola narrowly wins, even as a criminal probe continues.
Alaska voters cast ballots in a closely watched Senate race between incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan and Democratic challenger Mary Peltola, with attention fixed on a same-name candidate dispute that has roiled the final stretch. The state is using its top-four primary and ranked-choice general election system, rules that helped Peltola win a House seat in 2022. The Justice Department had asked a federal court to stop certification if Peltola won narrowly, arguing that candidate Dan J. Sullivan could confuse voters with the senator. A federal judge dismissed that lawsuit on Sunday. The New York Times has reported that Democrats and Peltola's campaign were involved in recruiting same-name candidates; Peltola has denied knowing about any such effort.