Democrats caught in Alaska ‘Decoy Dan’ lie

As of 2026-10-28, The New York Times reported that Mary Peltola's campaign, the Democratic nominee for Alaska’s U.S. Senate race, and senior officials from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) secretly recruited a candidate named Dan J. Sullivan to run as an independent against incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan. This move is seen as an attempt to split votes among supporters of the incumbent, thus aiding Peltola’s chances in the election. The recruitment effort involved encouraging individuals with the same or similar names to run as challengers. Republicans have long accused this strategy of being a "decoy" tactic designed to confuse voters and undermine the incumbent senator. The involvement of the national DSCC adds weight to these allegations, extending the controversy beyond just local politics. Election authorities initially tried to disqualify Dan J. Sullivan but were overruled by the state supreme court, allowing both candidates named Dan Sullivan to appear on the ballot for the upcoming midterm elections in Alaska.