Alaska’s Republican-run government calls Trump’s Senate ballot lawsuit ‘meritless’
Alaska’s Republican-run state government asked a federal judge on Saturday to throw out a lawsuit filed at President Donald Trump’s direction that seeks to stop certification of a possible Democratic win in the state’s US Senate race. In its filing, the state said there was “no reason for this Court to entertain this meritless lawsuit any longer.”
The Justice Department sued Alaska election officials on 22 October, asking US District Judge Sharon L. Gleason to halt certification if Democrat Mary Peltola defeats Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. On Friday, the department went further, asking the judge to order officials to separate all ballots cast for a second candidate on the ballot, retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. of Petersburg, until it can be decided whether voters were confused by the shared name.
Alaska called that request “both disturbing and impossible”, saying there was no way to pull those ballots out without violating voter privacy. The state also pointed out that the two men are clearly told apart on the ballot: the senator is listed as a Republican and the incumbent, while the other appears as “Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.” with no party label.
The dispute follows a report this week that internal messages and posts appeared to show Peltola’s campaign was involved in recruiting the second Sullivan to run. Peltola has denied any involvement, and Trump has demanded that she be prosecuted. The Alaska Supreme Court ruled this summer that the second candidate met all legal requirements to stay on the ballot, and the state’s filing said the new claims do not change that.
Why it matters
The Senate race could help decide which party controls the US Senate, and the case is unfolding just days before Election Day on Tuesday, 3 November. It is also unusual: the state government fighting the lawsuit is run by Republicans, the same party as the president who ordered it. Peltola’s campaign and voting-rights groups have also asked the judge to dismiss the case.
What happens next
Judge Gleason had set a deadline of Saturday for arguments on whether she should dismiss the lawsuit without even holding a hearing. Alaska has asked her to rule by Monday, 2 November, one day before voters go to the polls. If she does not dismiss it, the certification fight could run on after Election Day.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.juneauindependent.com/post/attorneys-for-alaska-say-meritless-trump-demand-to-set-aside-senate-ballots-not-even-possible (Associated Press, 31 October 2026)
- https://www.ibtimes.sg/could-legal-fight-alaska-delay-crucial-us-senate-result-what-trumps-doj-wants-95724 (International Business Times, 31 October 2026)
