Judge lets two Dan Sullivans run in Alaska Senate primary

An Alaska judge has cleared two U.S. Senate candidates named Dan Sullivan to appear on the state’s August 18 primary ballot, allowing a namesake challenger to run against the Republican incumbent. The ruling matters because Alaska uses a single nonpartisan primary ballot, meaning both men will be listed before all voters rather than in separate party contests.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews ruled that the challenger, Dan Sullivan, is eligible to run, according to Al Jazeera and The Associated Press. The decision reversed an earlier action by the director of the Alaska Division of Elections that had kept the challenger off the ballot.

“Mr. Dan Sullivan is declared to be an eligible candidate,” Matthews said in the ruling, referring to the challenger, according to Al Jazeera and AP.

The incumbent, Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, is seeking another term. His opponent with the same name is a former U.S. Forest Service worker and retired teacher from Petersburg, Alaska, according to Al Jazeera and AP.

Republicans cite voter confusion

Republican Party officials argued that placing two candidates with the same name on the ballot could confuse voters, Al Jazeera and AP reported. Some Republicans, including Senator Sullivan, have also alleged that the challenger was recruited by Democrats to help Mary Peltola, the Democratic Senate candidate.

Peltola, a former U.S. representative, has denied involvement through a spokesman. The spokesman told AP that Peltola has had no role in either Sullivan campaign.

Republicans are expected to appeal the ballot ruling to the Alaska Supreme Court, according to Al Jazeera and AP. The timing places the dispute close to the August primary, where candidate names and ballot access can shape the field for November.

How Alaska’s primary works

Alaska’s election system differs from the party primaries used in many other states. All candidates, regardless of party, appear together on one primary ballot, and the top four finishers advance to the general election, according to Al Jazeera and AP.

Supporters of the system say it pushes candidates to seek votes beyond their party’s base, Al Jazeera and AP reported. In this race, that structure means both Dan Sullivans, Peltola and other candidates can compete for the same pool of primary voters.

The Senate contest is unfolding during a midterm election year in which Democrats are trying to take control of the U.S. House and Senate from Republicans. Al Jazeera and AP reported that winning either chamber would change the balance of power in Washington and could limit President Donald Trump’s legislative strength in the final two years of his term.

For now, the Alaska ruling keeps the challenger on the ballot and leaves voters facing an unusual Senate primary: an incumbent and an opponent with the same name competing side by side under the state’s top-four system.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.