Judge Dismisses DOJ Bid to Block Alaska Senate Results if Sullivan Loses; DOJ Vows Appeal

On Nov. 1, 2026, U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to bar Alaska from certifying its Senate results if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan lost to Democrat Mary Peltola. The suit, filed after a New York Times report alleging Peltola staff helped recruit a spoiler candidate with a similar name, sought a court-ordered "investigation" of ballots cast for Sullivan. Gleason called the request "infeasible," writing the government offered "no workable plan" to segregate those ballots or investigate them "in a manner that would preserve voter secrecy." The Justice Department said it would appeal. Sullivan told CNN he would accept the results but accused Peltola and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of "complete disrespect for Alaskans," saying Peltola "got caught lying." Peltola said she had "no idea" whether anyone on her campaign was involved, calling the spoiler-candidate question a distraction from high prices tied to the Iran war.

The suit was part of a broader pattern of the administration challenging election administration and certification in contested races, prompting warnings about federal interference in state-run elections.

The race remained too close to call as polls closed Nov. 3, with the appeal and the recruitment allegations both unresolved.