The reported recruitment by Democrats of a second "Dan Sullivan" to allegedly confuse voters in Alaska’s Senate race drew a rare public rebuke from Sen.Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who appeared to break four years of silence on her personal X account.The New York Times reported that members of Mary Peltola’s team helped recruit a candidate who shares the name of incumbent Republican Sen.
Dan Sullivan, potentially confusing voters in a closely watched race that also features Republican Gerald Heikes.In a statement on her personal account @LisaForSenate, Murkowski said the report "revealed… a pattern of lies and coverups" on the part of Peltola.ALASKA'S GOVERNOR ORDERS INVESTIGATION AFTER NYT REPORT ON ALLEGED DEM-LINKED SENATE ELECTION SCHEMESen.Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, speaks in the Senate in August 2026.
(Daniel Heuer/Getty Images)"While some may try to write this off as just how politics works now, ballot-stacking should have no place in our electoral process," Murkowski said."Run and win on your merits: your views, your policy ideas, and your accomplishments.By contrast, recruiting candidates to manipulate the field and influence voting outcomes is simply wrong."DEM STRATEGIST SHRUGS OFF ALASKA BALLOT SCANDAL ON MS NOW, INSISTS 'THIS STUFF HAPPENS ALL THE TIME'"Alaskans deserve the honest truth from Mary and her campaign," she said, adding that such a "culture of deception" does not belong in elections or with lawmakers.Her previous post on the account was dated November 2022 and featured a video message wishing Alaskans a happy Thanksgiving.Murkowski's official Senate account posts regularly, with its two most recent posts criticizing the Trump Justice Department for launching a lawsuit in the "Decoy Dan" situation prior to the Times' report and highlighting her visit to the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention.The Times reported this week that the effort extended beyond recruiting the second Sullivan, with Democratic operatives also seeking other cand...