DOJ vows to appeal lawsuit on Alaska Senate race after judge tosses it

As of November 2, 2026, a federal judge dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit filed by the Trump administration seeking to halt the certification of results in Alaska's Senate race due to concerns over ballot confusion. The lawsuit aimed to delay certification if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan lost to Democratic candidate Mary Peltola, citing potential voter confusion caused by the presence of another candidate, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., on the ballot. On October 30, the Justice Department requested that Alaska election officials segregate ballots ranking Sullivan for further investigation into whether such rankings were due to voter confusion. However, attorneys representing Alaska’s Republican-run state government argued on October 31 that the Trump administration's demands were "meritless" and practically impossible to implement without violating voter privacy. Despite the dismissal, the Justice Department announced it would appeal the decision. President Trump reacted with a one-word all-caps post expressing his frustration over the court ruling. The case revolves around allegations by the Justice Department that Democratic operatives recruited Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. as a spoiler candidate to siphon votes from the incumbent Republican senator, potentially undermining voter intent in the closely watched election.