The Trump administration has accelerated criminal and civil investigations into allegations that Democratic operatives attempted to influence a closely watched Alaska Senate contest by recruiting a rival candidate to split the Republican vote. The escalating action comes just days before the US midterm elections, raising fresh questions about federal involvement in state-run electoral processes.
Michael Heyman, the US Attorney for Alaska, said the FBI had significantly increased its resources following a recent media report detailing the alleged recruitment effort. Several prosecutors have been assigned to the investigation, with investigative activities moving ahead at an accelerated pace.
“Every Alaskan deserves a fair election, and they’re going to get one,” Heyman said, warning that anyone found attempting to deceive voters or interfere with the electoral process could face consequences.
The Alaska race is considered a crucial contest in determining control of the US Senate, where Republicans currently hold a narrow majority.
Trump Claims Election Fraud, DOJ Seeks Court Intervention
President Donald Trump has openly backed the Justice Department’s legal action against Alaska, acknowledging that he personally directed officials to pursue the case. At a campaign rally in Florida on Friday, he described the alleged scheme as voter fraud at the highest level.
The Justice Department has now asked a federal judge to ensure that ballots potentially affected by voter confusion are preserved. It has also sought access to records from the Democratic campaign and other parties to examine whether the candidacy of Daniel J. Sullivan Jr was genuine or deliberately orchestrated.
The controversy centres on allegations that Democratic campaign officials helped persuade Sullivan, a retired teacher from a remote Alaskan fishing community, to enter the Senate race. His name closely resembles that of Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan, prompting questions about whether his candidacy was intended to divert votes from the sitting senator.
The allegations first emerged in a media investigation, which reported that individuals associated with Democratic Senate campaign operations had played a role in recruiting the lesser-known candidate. These claims have not been independently verified.
Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola has denied knowing about any recruitment effort. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has also rejected allegations of involvement, while Daniel J. Sullivan Jr has denied coordinating with Peltola’s campaign.
The Justice Department has separately filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent Alaska from certifying the Senate election results if the Republican incumbent loses under circumstances involving the competing candidacy.
However, questions remain over what specific election laws may have been violated. Political parties have previously used similar candidate-recruitment strategies, commonly described as ballot stacking, to divide an opponent’s support.
Election Disputes Spread Beyond Alaska
The Alaska investigation is unfolding alongside a broader series of legal confrontations between the Trump administration and state election authorities.
The Justice Department has initiated lawsuits against roughly 30 states seeking access to unredacted voter registration records. Election officials have warned that the growing number of federal challenges could create confusion and disrupt preparations ahead of voting day.
Jonathan Diaz of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center said the repeated legal actions could generate uncertainty surrounding election procedures and potentially provide grounds for challenging results after the votes are counted.
Trump has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of American elections, continuing to promote false claims that widespread fraud cost him the 2020 presidential election.
Despite the mounting legal disputes, voter participation has reached unprecedented levels. Approximately 49 million Americans had already cast their ballots early, setting a new record for a US midterm election, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab.
California Ballot Fight Suffers Another Legal Setback
California has also become a major focus of the administration’s election-related legal campaign.
The Justice Department has issued subpoenas to election officials as part of a criminal investigation into allegations that noncitizens participated in voting.
The administration sought to stop California from counting mail-in ballots submitted by more than 20,000 registered voters it suspects may not be US citizens.
A federal appeals court rejected that request on Friday, marking the second time this week that the administration has failed to secure an order blocking the ballots from being counted.
A lower court had previously refused the request, warning that such an intervention could prevent thousands of eligible American citizens from having their votes counted.
Meanwhile, Trump confirmed that he would resume campaign appearances in Iowa and Kansas over the weekend after briefly cancelling the planned events. He said Republican figures in both states had urged him to reconsider.
With the midterm elections approaching, the battles in Alaska and California have placed the administration’s approach to election oversight under renewed scrutiny, while the closely contested Senate race has emerged as one of the most consequential political flashpoints.
