A judge ruled on Friday that another man running as a Republican, who shares the same name as Republican U.S.Sen.
Dan Sullivan, is eligible to run against him in the August primary in Alaska.Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews’ ruling overturns a decision made by Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher earlier this month to disqualify the second Sullivan from the ballot.Matthews on Friday ruled that Beecher didn’t follow the Constitution, Alaska law or the division’s own regulations when deciding to disqualify Sullivan."Instead, the decision was based upon a new, previously unstated, ‘good faith’ criteria," the judge wrote.In her determination, Beecher said that Dan J.Sullivan, a retired teacher who recently changed his party affiliation to the GOP, did not launch his campaign "in good faith," and sought to "confuse or mislead" voters at the ballot box. The Republican senator is seeking a third term in the state. SAME-NAME CANDIDATE DISQUALIFIED FROM KEY SENATE RACE OVER ALLEGED DEM SCHEME TO CONFUSE VOTERSDan J.
Sullivan, who has filed to run for U.S.Senate in Alaska, poses for a photo in Petersburg, Alaska.
(Katie Holmlund/Associated Press)Democrats are hoping that former Rep.Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, whom Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., helped recruit into the race, will unseat him in November.Alaska is one of several states that are expected to be competitive as both parties vie for control of the Senate.The Division of Elections told The Associated Press on Saturday that it plans to appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court.The deadline for a final ruling is Tuesday so that ballots for the Aug.
18 primary can be printed on time, state attorneys have said.The senator previously told Fox News Digital that he believes Dan J.Sullivan is a Democrat plant.BEHIND-THE-SCENES BATTLES: LEGAL CHALLENGES THAT COULD IMPACT THE VOTE BEFORE ELECTION DAY BEGINS,Sen.
Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washingt...