Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the Justice Department's lawsuit over Alaska's Senate race on Sunday, telling morning television interviewers that the case responds to concerns that two candidates named Dan Sullivan could confuse voters.1,4,5,8
The department filed the suit on October 22 in the US district court in Alaska, less than two weeks before the November 3 midterm elections. It asks the court to declare the race's certification "unlawful" and to bar the state from "allowing such a certification to occur." The department argues that the step is necessary "to protect the integrity" of the election, and that any result would be "tainted by the inclusion on the ballot of Daniel J Sullivan."1
The contest is one of the closest Senate races in the country. Senator Dan S Sullivan, the Republican incumbent, is seeking to defend his seat against Mary Peltola, a Democrat and former US representative. Dan J Sullivan, a former Forest Service employee, is also running, and both Sullivans are running as Republicans. Four candidates advanced to the final round after Alaska's August primaries.1
The second Sullivan's decision to run has raised concerns that he is a spoiler candidate, meaning one whose presence on the ballot is designed to draw votes away from the incumbent. He denied any such intent and called the allegations "entirely false." In a letter to Alaska's lieutenant governor before the primaries, he wrote, "I am not a registered Democrat, and I have had no conversations whatsoever with the Peltola campaign about my candidacy." He added that "Senator Sullivan has routinely failed the people of Alaska, and they deserve a better representative."1
The lawsuit has drawn bipartisan criticism, and many have accused the administration of President Donald Trump of laying the groundwork to block a Democratic win in the race. Trump himself claimed to have authorised the suit. "I'm the one who said do it," he told reporters on Friday.1
Blanche, who leads the Justice Department and formerly served as Trump's personal lawyer, went on CNN's State of the Union and CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday. In each appearance he faced pointed questions about the legality of the department's efforts, and in some cases he responded with open frustration. He asked CNN host Dana Bash, "Why is this controversial?" He also accused one of the Senate candidates of intentionally trying to confuse voters, but the accounts do not say which candidate he meant.1
"It is wrong," Blanche told CNN. "Putting aside whether we're going to win or lose in the courts, putting aside what the Alaskan Supreme Court has done, in our system we should not have a candidate who has to worry about another candidate being on the ballot for no other reason than to confuse voters," he said.1
On CBS's Face the Nation, Blanche accused the host, Margaret Brennan, of giving a "misleading" description of the race, in which two candidates with similar names will appear on the ballot. Brennan had said the Justice Department sued Alaska "preemptively to block the certification of the results."4
In the CNN interview, Bash suggested the president could be laying the groundwork for a scenario in which he tries to overturn an election, and she raised the possibility of a result like the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Blanche cut in: "Oh, you got to stop it with that. You are not being a real person. Come on, man." Bash replied, "Why are you yelling at me?" Blanche argued that the administration was responding to allegations of voter confusion in Alaska, rather than preparing to challenge election results nationwide. "That is crazy," he said. Bash responded, "It is not crazy."5
The accounts differ on how Blanche addressed Trump's claim that he ordered the filing. Al Jazeera said Blanche denied any impropriety in the president's statement, while a Washington Examiner headline said Blanche declined to say whether Trump had ordered him to file the suit. Blanche insisted that "President Trump is not trying to take over a state election in any way, shape or form."1,2,6
Alaska's Supreme Court ruled in June that both Sullivans could compete in the Senate race, and the state's Division of Elections has taken steps to reduce voter confusion. The November 3 ballot will list Dan S Sullivan as the incumbent and as a "registered Republican." Dan J Sullivan will have the suffix "Jr" added to his name, and his party affiliation will be left blank, even though he identifies as a Republican.1
Under the US Constitution, only states have the power to administer elections, though Congress has the right to pass regulations concerning federal votes. It is highly unusual for a presidential administration to intervene in state election certification, and experts say such a move is likely to be deemed illegal.1
The accounts do not include responses from the Dan S Sullivan or Peltola campaigns or from Alaska state officials. Alaska voters will be asked to cast their ballots on November 3.1
