Trump administration sues to block possible Democratic win in Alaska | US Midterm Elections 2026 News
Justice Department Lawsuit Challenges Certification of Alaska Senate Race
By Evan Semones | Published October 23, 2026
With just over a week remaining until the crucial U.S. midterm elections, the Department of Justice has initiated a lawsuit aimed at blocking the certification of results in Alaska’s closely watched Senate race.
Filed on Thursday, the lawsuit asserts that an independent candidate, Daniel J. Sullivan, who shares a name with the incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, is intentionally trying to confuse voters.
According to the lawsuit, “Given the substantial likelihood that the inclusion of Daniel J. Sullivan will confuse or mislead voters looking to cast a vote for Senator Sullivan, and thus distort the will of Alaskan voters, there is a substantial likelihood that a certification of the election will reflect an electoral process that lacked integrity.”
The Department of Justice is petitioning a federal judge to postpone the certification of the election results to facilitate an investigation into whether votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan were intended for Senator Sullivan.
This legal action has raised concerns among Democrats and voting rights advocates, who fear the Trump administration may attempt to interfere in several upcoming midterm elections, particularly as Republicans face increasing challenges from Democratic candidates nationwide.
In recent weeks, the Justice Department has taken measures against prominent Democrats, including charging Virginia State Senator L. Louise Lucas with public corruption and investigating Representative Ilhan Omar for alleged immigration fraud. Both lawmakers have characterized these actions as politically motivated.
Critics of President Trump have expressed apprehension that the Justice Department could try to obstruct the certification of elections lost by the president’s party.
On Wednesday, while announcing Lucas’s indictment, U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche reassured reporters that the agency’s intention is not to interfere improperly with elections or the state certification process. “It’s never our intention to – improperly interfere with elections or the state certification process,” he said.
Lauren Miller Karalunas, senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice, emphasized that election certification responsibilities lie with state governments and that the federal government has “no role” in this process. “Rest assured, state certification processes were created to meet this moment,” Karalunas stated. “They built in safeguards specifically designed to stop that from happening.”
In June, the Alaska State Supreme Court rejected a previous attempt by Republicans to remove Daniel J. Sullivan from the ballot. He will appear on the ballot without a party designation, while Senator Sullivan will be listed as the Republican candidate. Under Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system, voters who are uncertain can select both candidates.
The outcome of Alaska’s Senate race could play a pivotal role in determining control of the U.S. Senate after November 3. Senator Sullivan is facing a formidable challenge from former Democratic Congresswoman Mary Peltola. Recent polling indicates a very tight race, with Public Policy Polling showing Peltola holding a narrow one-point lead.
As of this report, campaign teams for both Sullivans and Peltola had not responded to requests for comment.
