By — Joshua Goodman, Associated Press Joshua Goodman, Associated Press By — Jim Mustian, Associated Press Jim Mustian, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/in-an-alaska-fishing-community-the-dan-sullivan-episode-takes-an-ominous-turn Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter In an Alaska fishing community, the Dan Sullivan episode takes an ominous turn Politics Nov 2, 2026 3:38 PM EST PETERSBURG, Alaska (AP) — In the sleepy Alaskan fishing community of Petersburg, nobody has seen Dan J. Sullivan for weeks. His rustic home stood dark a day after FBI agents visited friends who donated to his quixotic campaign to unseat the Republican senator with the same first and last name — Dan S. Sullivan. The only display of politics at his home was a yard sign from the League of Women Voters: "Stand Up for Democracy: Vote 2026." What may have begun as a ploy to harm the reelection prospects of Sen. Sullivan has taken a serious turn as President Donald Trump's administration weighs criminal charges over a campaign tactic known as ballot stacking. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the…
In an Alaska fishing community, the Dan Sullivan episode takes an ominous turn
In short
The Justice Department and the FBI are investigating the third-party candidacy of Dan J. Sullivan, who is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan in Alaska's ranked-choice election. Although state courts rejected an attempt to remove the former teacher from the ballot, the Trump administration has appealed a dismissed federal lawsuit seeking to halt election certification. Investigators have begun questioning donors in Petersburg, Alaska, while the challenger has vanished from public view following the heightened scrutiny.
Key points
- The high-stakes Alaska Senate race between incumbent Dan S. Sullivan and Democrat Mary Pe…: The high-stakes Alaska Senate race between incumbent Dan S. Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola could determine overall control of the chamber.
- Mary Peltola has denied any connection to an operative reportedly linked to a group suppo…: Mary Peltola has denied any connection to an operative reportedly linked to a group supporting her that attempted to recruit decoy candidates.
- The Justice Department is appealing a federal judge's dismissal of a lawsuit aimed at blo…: The Justice Department is appealing a federal judge's dismissal of a lawsuit aimed at blocking the certification of the election results.