US news | The Guardian
· collected 2026-08-24 · by Ramon Antonio Vargas
Former Alaskan mayor Dan A Sullivan supports Republican incumbent Dan S Sullivan in his bid for a third term in the US Senate against challenger Dan J Sullivan. The article reports on an unusual election scenario where three men with the same last name are running, with some accusing Dan J Sullivan of being a Democratic plant to split votes and help former congresswoman Mary Peltola win. Dan A Sullivan endorsed Dan S Sullivan as the "original" candidate, while Dan J Sullivan has denied being backed by the Democratic party. The general election is scheduled for November 3.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-24,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Dan S. Sullivan, a Republican senator from Alaska, will face off against Mary Peltola, a former Democratic congresswoman, in the state's Senate election this November. Both candidates advanced to the general election after the primary, which used ranked-choice voting and allowed the top four finishers to move on regardless of party affiliation.
The unusual aspect of this election is that there are two other candidates with the same last name as Senator Sullivan: Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher who ran as a Republican, and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a former employee of the US Forest Service who was listed on the ballot with no party affiliation. The latter candidate had initially sought to confuse voters by filing under his full name, but a court ruled in favor of allowing him to appear on the ballot.
Alaska's top-four primary system and ranked-choice voting have created a unique dynamic, with three candidates sharing the same last name competing against each other. This has led to accusations that Dan J. Sullivan is a "Democratic plant" trying to draw votes away from the incumbent senator and benefit Mary Peltola, who is also running for the seat.
The endorsement of Senator Dan S. Sullivan by Dan A. Sullivan, a former mayor of Anchorage, has added another layer to this complex election. With primary votes still being counted, Peltola leads with 48% of the vote, followed closely by Senator Sullivan at 43%. The outcome of this election is likely to have significant implications for control of the US Senate in the upcoming midterm elections.
Written for “Alaska Senate Primary Results” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 9 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.35 for article 1912 (medium confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-08-28
Dan Sullivan supports Dan Sullivan against Dan Sullivan in Alaska’s US Senate election, says a former Alaskan mayor who recently backed the race’s Republican incumbent over a challenger sharing their name.
asserted
who → support → name
That development provided another of multiple absurd elements to Dan S Sullivan’s campaign for a third term in the US Senate, which – beside Mary Peltola, a former Alaska Democratic congresswoman – has drawn opposition from Dan J Sullivan.
asserted
which → provide → Sullivan
Dan J Sullivan emerged from an 18 August primary to join a four-candidate field rounded out by Dan S Sullivan, Peltola and one other contender.
asserted
Sullivan → emerge → Sullivan
His presence in the field for the general election during the 3 November midterms has prompted accusations that he is a Democratic plant aiming to draw enough votes away from Dan J Sullivan – whose name was positioned consecutively to him on the primary ballot – so that Peltola can win.
asserted
Peltola → prompt → ballot
Donald Trump’s Republican party is projected to lose congressional seats during the midterms, and the president wrote on social media on the day of the primary: “ALASKA: Be careful.
asserted
president → project → primary
“The Dumocrats know how good he is and have put up an imposter of the same name.”
asserted
he → know → name
Trump was not the only Republican politico to come out swinging for Dan S Sullivan’s re-election bid on the day of the primary, in which Peltola finished first.
asserted
Peltola → come → which
Another who came out in favor of the incumbent was Dan A Sullivan, the mayor of Anchorage, Alaska, for six years beginning in 2009.
asserted
who → come → 2009
“As the OG Dan Sullivan, I urge Alaskans to vote for [Senator] Daniel S Sullivan,” he also wrote.
asserted
he → urge → Sullivan
Dan A Sullivan’s statement of support for Dan S Sullivan, the senator, at the expense of Dan J Sullivan invoked a colloquial term meaning original.
asserted
statement → invoke → original
It was unclear if he staked the claim of being the original because, at 75, he was older than Dan S Sullivan, 61, and Dan J Sullivan, 70, a retired schoolteacher and US Forest Service employee with no prior political experience.
uncertain
he → stake → experience
He also entered his first elected office before Dan S Sullivan – on Anchorage’s governing assembly, where he served from 1999 to 2008.
asserted
he → enter → 2008
The Republican party unsuccessfully went to court to try to prevent Dan J Sullivan from running in the primary, maintaining that his campaign was a Democratic-engineered sham trying to confuse voters into selecting him rather than Alaska’s junior US senator since 2015.
asserted
campaign → go → 2015
Dan J Sullivan – who appeared on the primary ballot with no party affiliation – has denied running at the behest of the Democratic party, which has not held a Senate seat in Alaska since 2008.
asserted
which → appear → 2008
“This is my choice,” he said to the Associated Press in June.
asserted
he → say → June
Adding that he was displeased with the state of affairs in the US, he told the outlet: “I have every right to run.”
asserted
I → add → right
