Por Renan Filho · 2026-10-14**Lead**
Former President Donald Trump has publicly stated that his team is “looking into” the appearance of another candidate named Dan Sullivan on the Alaska ballot, distinct from the state’s incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan. Trump also issued a pointed warning about the upcoming Alaska governor’s race, urging voters to be vigilant against what he described as potential confusion engineered by political opponents. The remarks, made during a radio interview on Tuesday, have reignited discussions about ballot integrity and the mechanics of ranked-choice voting in the state.
**Context**
Alaska’s political landscape has been unusually complex since the state adopted a top-four primary and ranked-choice general election system in 2020. The system, approved by voters through a ballot initiative, allows candidates from any party to appear on the same primary ballot, with the top four vote-getters advancing to the general election. This has led to crowded fields and occasional name confusion, particularly when multiple candidates share the same surname.
Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican first elected in 2014 and reelected in 2020, is widely known and has the endorsement of Trump. However, a different Dan Sullivan—a former state legislator and current candidate for a local office—has filed to appear on the ballot for a separate race. Trump’s comment specifically referenced the possibility that voters might mistakenly cast a ballot for the “other” Dan Sullivan in the U.S. Senate race, thereby diluting support for the incumbent. “We are looking into it very seriously,” Trump said. “You have a guy named Dan Sullivan who is not the senator, and they put him on the ballot. It’s a dirty trick.”
The former president did not provide evidence of coordination or malfeasance, but his statement has drawn attention to the state’s election administration. Alaska’s Division of Elections has confirmed that multiple candidates with the same name have appeared on ballots in past cycles, but officials maintain that each candidate is clearly identified by their listed occupation, residence, and ballot designation. “We follow state law and ensure voters have the information they need to distinguish candidates,” a spokesperson said.
Trump’s warning about the governor’s race is equally notable. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, is seeking a second term. He faces a primary challenge from within his own party, as well as a strong Democratic opponent in former state Representative Les Gara. Trump did not explicitly endorse Dunleavy in his remarks, but he cautioned that “the governor’s race is very important, and people need to pay attention to who is really on their side.” The comment is seen as a veiled critique of Dunleavy’s handling of certain issues, including the state’s budget and resource development, though Trump stopped short of withholding support.
**Analysis**
Trump’s focus on the “other Dan Sullivan” underscores a broader strategy of questioning election processes ahead of the 2022 midterms. By raising the specter of voter confusion, he is tapping into a base that remains skeptical of ranked-choice voting and mail-in ballots. Alaska’s system, in particular, has been a target of Republican criticism since it allowed a Democrat to win a U.S. House seat in 2022—the first time a Democrat had held that seat in decades. Trump’s intervention could energize efforts to repeal ranked-choice voting in the state, a measure that is already being pushed by some Republican lawmakers.
However, the practical impact of a name-confusion scenario is limited. In Alaska’s ranked-choice system, voters rank candidates in order of preference. Even if a voter mistakenly selects the wrong Dan Sullivan as their first choice, their second-choice vote would still count if that candidate is eliminated. The more significant risk is that a minor candidate with a recognizable name could siphon enough first-choice votes to force the incumbent into a lower ranking, potentially altering the final tally. This is precisely the kind of “dirty trick” Trump alluded to, though no evidence of intentional sabotage has emerged.
On the governor’s race, Trump’s warning may reflect a calculation that Dunleavy is vulnerable. The governor has faced criticism from both the left and the right over his handling of the state’s Permanent Fund dividend and his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A strong Democratic challenger, combined with a potential third-party or independent candidate, could force the race into a ranked-choice runoff where the outcome is unpredictable. Trump’s reluctance to offer a full-throated endorsement suggests he is keeping his options open, possibly waiting to see how the primary unfolds before committing.
**Sources**
- Trump’s remarks as reported by multiple national news outlets, including Fox News and The Associated Press, on October 12, 2026. - Alaska Division of Elections public statements on ballot candidate identification procedures. - Historical election data and ranked-choice voting analysis from the Alaska Public Offices Commission and nonpartisan election watchdogs. - Statements from Senator Dan Sullivan’s campaign office regarding ballot clarity. - Coverage of Alaska’s 2022 U.S. House race and subsequent ranked-choice voting debates from the Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Public Media.