Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan is seeking to remove his namesake primary challenger from office, citing the potential for chaos in the midterm elections.
Published June 27, 2026
An Alaska judge has ruled that an incumbent U.S. senator and his namesake challenger can both participate in the midterm primary ballot.
The decision means both Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and his namesake opponent, former U.S. Forest Service employee and retired teacher Dan Sullivan, are eligible to run in the Aug. 18 primary.
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“Dan Sullivan is declared a qualified candidate,” Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews said in his ruling.
The decision reversed an earlier decision by the Alaska State Elections Director.
Republican officials had argued that having two Dan Sullivans on the ballot could confuse voters.
Some, including Sen. Sullivan, have argued that challenger Sullivan may have been recruited by Democrats to support Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola.
A spokesperson for Mr. Peltola, a former U.S. congressman, told The Associated Press that Peltola is not involved with either Sullivan campaign.
Republicans are expected to appeal the voting decision to the state Supreme Court.
Alaska has a single-vote, nonpartisan primary system. Unlike other states, where Democrats and Republicans hold separate contests to determine which candidates will face off in the November general election, Alaska’s primary ballot lists all candidates, regardless of party.
The top four candidates then advance to the general election.
Supporters argue that Alaska’s primary system requires primary candidates to appeal to a broader segment of the state’s voters, not just party members.
Democrats hope to take back the U.S. House and Senate majorities from Republicans in the November midterm elections.
A majority in either chamber would dramatically change the country’s political equation and likely reduce President Donald Trump’s legislative powers during the final two years of his term.
