Judge tosses DOJ’s lawsuit over Alaska Senate race
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A federal judge on Sunday dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit in Alaska that seeks to block certification if Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) loses his reelection bid in the state’s Senate race, arguing a win for Democratic candidate Mary Peltola could be blocked by the appearance on the ballot of a candidate with the same name as the incumbent senator.
U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason ruled the administration hadn’t shown how she could rectify their concerns, as ballots are already prepared and Election Day is on Tuesday.
“More fundamentally, the United States provides no workable plan as to how it proposes to segregate ballots cast for Daniel J. Sullivan on Election Day and then conduct a court-ordered unspecified ‘investigation’ of those ballots in a manner that would preserve voter secrecy,” Gleason wrote.
Daniel J. Sullivan is listed on Alaska’s ballot alongside Peltola and incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.
The Alaska Supreme Court has signed off on Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy, but the Justice Department launched a federal lawsuit last month. The suit asked Gleason to segregate ballots cast for him and block certification of any result impacted by voter confusion until she can conduct an investigation.
The administration plans to appeal, a Justice Department spokesperson said, calling the situation “an attempt to rig outcomes.” The case next heads to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
“The court dismissed the case on procedural grounds but did not dispute the argument of the United States that Daniel J. Sullivan (a/k/a Decoy Dan) entered the race as a frivolous candidate to confuse voters,” the Justice Department spokesperson said.
The Trump administration has accused Democrats of misleading the judge after a New York Times report emerged that operatives aligned with Peltola had recruited the second Dan Sullivan. Investigations have been launched, but Peltola has denied any personal knowledge of the plan.
Gleason, an appointee of former President Obama who serves on the federal bench in Anchorage, didn’t address the story in her 20-page opinion. Still, she sided with Democrats, Peltola’s campaign and Alaska’s GOP-led government, which all urged her to immediately toss the case.
“Clearly, if this Court were to order that certain ballots will be segregated and subject to a future and as yet unspecified investigation by law enforcement, it would likely result in voter ‘confusion and consequent incentive to remain away from the polls,’” Gleason wrote. “Such late-breaking changes to the election rules are strongly disfavored.”
Devan Barber, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s executive director, celebrated the ruling.
“Today’s ruling is a victory for democracy and a clear message to [President] Donald Trump and Senate Republicans: No one, no matter how powerful, can toss out free and fair elections just because they don’t like the result,” Barber said.
“We will never stop fighting back against the shameful, brazen efforts from the Trump administration and their weaponized Department of Justice to subvert the U.S. Senate race in Alaska, or any other election as voters reject Republicans at ballot boxes across the country – and we are confident Alaska voters will elect Mary Peltola to the Senate,” he added.
Updated 2:40 p.m. EST
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
A federal judge on Sunday dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit in Alaska that sought to block certification if the second Dan Sullivan running for Senate causes voter…
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
Skip to content
A federal judge on Sunday dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit in Alaska that seeks to block certification if Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) loses his reelection bid in the state’s Senate race, arguing a win for Democratic candidate Mary Peltola could be blocked by the appearance on the ballot of a candidate with the same name as the incumbent senator.
U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason ruled the administration hadn’t shown how she could rectify their concerns, as ballots are already prepared and Election Day is on Tuesday.
“More fundamentally, the United States provides no workable plan as to how it proposes to segregate ballots cast for Daniel J. Sullivan on Election Day and then conduct a court-ordered unspecified ‘investigation’ of those ballots in a manner that would preserve voter secrecy,” Gleason wrote.
Daniel J. Sullivan is listed on Alaska’s ballot alongside Peltola and incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.
The Alaska Supreme Court has signed off on Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy, but the Justice Department launched a federal lawsuit last month. The suit asked Gleason to segregate ballots cast for him and block certification of any result impacted by voter confusion until she can conduct an investigation.
The administration plans to appeal, a Justice Department spokesperson said, calling the situation “an attempt to rig outcomes.” The case next heads to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
“The court dismissed the case on procedural grounds but did not dispute the argument of the United States that Daniel J. Sullivan (a/k/a Decoy Dan) entered the race as a frivolous candidate to confuse voters,” the Justice Department spokesperson said.
The Trump administration has accused Democrats of misleading the judge after a New York Times report emerged that operatives aligned with Peltola had recruited the second Dan Sullivan. Investigations have been launched, but Peltola has denied any personal knowledge of the plan.
Gleason, an appointee of former President Obama who serves on the federal bench in Anchorage, didn’t address the story in her 20-page opinion. Still, she sided with Democrats, Peltola’s campaign and Alaska’s GOP-led government, which all urged her to immediately toss the case.
“Clearly, if this Court were to order that certain ballots will be segregated and subject to a future and as yet unspecified investigation by law enforcement, it would likely result in voter ‘confusion and consequent incentive to remain away from the polls,’” Gleason wrote. “Such late-breaking changes to the election rules are strongly disfavored.”
Devan Barber, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s executive director, celebrated the ruling.
“Today’s ruling is a victory for democracy and a clear message to [President] Donald Trump and Senate Republicans: No one, no matter how powerful, can toss out free and fair elections just because they don’t like the result,” Barber said.
“We will never stop fighting back against the shameful, brazen efforts from the Trump administration and their weaponized Department of Justice to subvert the U.S. Senate race in Alaska, or any other election as voters reject Republicans at ballot boxes across the country – and we are confident Alaska voters will elect Mary Peltola to the Senate,” he added.
Updated 2:40 p.m. EST
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
Skip to content
A federal judge on Sunday dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit in Alaska that seeks to block certification if Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) loses his reelection bid in the state’s Senate race, arguing a win for Democratic candidate Mary Peltola could be blocked by the appearance on the ballot of a candidate with the same name as the incumbent senator.
U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason ruled the administration hadn’t shown how she could rectify their concerns, as ballots are already prepared and Election Day is on Tuesday.
“More fundamentally, the United States provides no workable plan as to how it proposes to segregate ballots cast for Daniel J. Sullivan on Election Day and then conduct a court-ordered unspecified ‘investigation’ of those ballots in a manner that would preserve voter secrecy,” Gleason wrote.
Daniel J. Sullivan is listed on Alaska’s ballot alongside Peltola and incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.
The Alaska Supreme Court has signed off on Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy, but the Justice Department launched a federal lawsuit last month. The suit asked Gleason to segregate ballots cast for him and block certification of any result impacted by voter confusion until she can conduct an investigation.
The administration plans to appeal, a Justice Department spokesperson said, calling the situation “an attempt to rig outcomes.” The case next heads to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
“The court dismissed the case on procedural grounds but did not dispute the argument of the United States that Daniel J. Sullivan (a/k/a Decoy Dan) entered the race as a frivolous candidate to confuse voters,” the Justice Department spokesperson said.
The Trump administration has accused Democrats of misleading the judge after a New York Times report emerged that operatives aligned with Peltola had recruited the second Dan Sullivan. Investigations have been launched, but Peltola has denied any personal knowledge of the plan.
Gleason, an appointee of former President Obama who serves on the federal bench in Anchorage, didn’t address the story in her 20-page opinion. Still, she sided with Democrats, Peltola’s campaign and Alaska’s GOP-led government, which all urged her to immediately toss the case.
“Clearly, if this Court were to order that certain ballots will be segregated and subject to a future and as yet unspecified investigation by law enforcement, it would likely result in voter ‘confusion and consequent incentive to remain away from the polls,’” Gleason wrote. “Such late-breaking changes to the election rules are strongly disfavored.”
Devan Barber, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s executive director, celebrated the ruling.
“Today’s ruling is a victory for democracy and a clear message to [President] Donald Trump and Senate Republicans: No one, no matter how powerful, can toss out free and fair elections just because they don’t like the result,” Barber said.
“We will never stop fighting back against the shameful, brazen efforts from the Trump administration and their weaponized Department of Justice to subvert the U.S. Senate race in Alaska, or any other election as voters reject Republicans at ballot boxes across the country – and we are confident Alaska voters will elect Mary Peltola to the Senate,” he added.
Updated 2:40 p.m. EST
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
- A federal judge on Sunday dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit in Alaska that sought to block certification if the second Dan Sullivan running for Senate causes voter…
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