Sullivan, Peltola project confidence while awaiting results in Alaska US Senate race

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The two major candidates in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race urged supporters to be patient as results began coming in late Tuesday, delivering rousing speeches and expressing confidence against the backdrop of the fallout from allegations of partisan tricks to recruit a candidate with the same name as the Republican incumbent.

The race headlined by two-term Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola had been among those expected to play a role in determining which party gained control of the Senate. Democrats had won control before polls closed Tuesday night in Alaska.

“Lower 48 blue wave. But we’re different,” Sullivan told supporters after initial results were reported. Peltola during her election night party said: “We are getting our government back.”

The race brought top Republican officials to Alaska to rally for Sullivan, including President Donald Trump, who placed particular focus on a third candidate in the race, retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan. Trump called him “fake” and ordered that the Justice Department sue to block certification if the incumbent loses, pending an investigation into potential voter confusion.

The lawsuit, filed less than two weeks before the ranked vote election, was dismissed by a federal judge, prompting a Justice Department appeal.

The race remained too early to call.

Candidacy of second Dan Sullivan roils the race

The candidacy of Dan J. Sullivan, who won 2.5% of the vote in the August open primary and qualified for the general election with a top-four finish, dominated attention in the final days of the race after The New York Times reported that Peltola’s campaign appeared to be involved in efforts to recruit him. The report revived long-held suspicions raised by the incumbent and his allies that Dan J. Sullivan was a “sham” candidate intent on confusing voters.

Peltola denied involvement in any such efforts, and Dan J. Sullivan, who lives in the small fishing community of Petersburg, has denied any contact with Peltola’s campaign. He has not returned messages in recent days.

Peltola appeared to reference the controversy in her speech late Tuesday, saying she was looking out on a room of people who are “smart people and know exactly who they’re voting for.”

The Justice Department last week confirmed the existence of a criminal investigation, but Alaska U.S. Attorney Michael Heyman would not say what potential crimes authorities were looking into or the targets of their probe. Donors to Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign have said that FBI agents have asked if they felt deceived by the lesser-known Sullivan.

The ballot distinguished the two as Dan S. Sullivan, Republican and incumbent, and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., with no party affiliation.

The senator, speaking to reporters after voting in Anchorage earlier Tuesday, called the controversy “the biggest election cheating scandal in the history of the state of Alaska” and called into question Peltola’s denials.

“The whole scheme treats all of us Alaskans with disrespect,” he said.

Sullivan, Peltola urge patience with vote count

Alaska accepts ballots that are postmarked by Election Day for up to 15 days after the election from overseas voters. That makes Nov. 18 the deadline for final receipt of ballots and when tabulations under the state’s ranked choice voting system will be done. Under Alaska’s system, rankings come into play if no candidate earns more than 50% of the first-choice votes.

Peltola held a significant lead over the incumbent early in the count, but the race tightened considerably, with Sullivan eventually overtaking the Democrat. Both candidates were below the 50%-plus one threshold of first-choice votes required to win outright. More returns are required to determine whether either candidate will exceed 50% or whether ranked choice tabulations will be triggered.

Peltola was at times giddy during her election night speech, even taking a selfie with the crowd. But she said that while they were all ready to celebrate, “the results are not going to be fast.”

“It’s going to take a long time to make sure we’re counting every vote from every far-flung hinterland community, from every tiny outpost, from all of our service members serving overseas, our young people going to colleges,” she said.

Sullivan also told his supporters it would take time to get final results. But he said he was confident that when all votes were counted, he’d win reelection.