Alaska Governor Orders Probe Into Peltola Campaign’s Alleged ‘Decoy Dan’ Scheme
Less than a week before the election, you guys. This should have been done back in June.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) ordered an investigation into whether members of Democrat Mary Peltola’s Senate campaign should face charges for possible election manipulation regarding “Decoy Dan” Sullivan.
The announcement comes after The New York Times finally joined the party and used its resources to expose what we already knew: Democrats recruited Dan J. Sullivan (“Decoy Dan”) to run as a Republican to confuse voters with incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.
I mean, it took a NYT piece about “Decoy Dan” to finally make you move, Dunleavy? Really?
Anyway, Dunleavy wrote on X:
Today’s New York Times reporting reveals disturbing new evidence of an organized effort to manipulate Alaska’s elections by recruiting candidates—including one with the same name as an incumbent U.S. Senator—to deliberately confuse voters and misdirect their votes. The Alaska Division of Elections investigated these very concerns in June of this year. The new reporting substantially supports the Division’s findings.
I am therefore directing the Department of Public Safety to investigate whether this scheme violated Alaska’s laws and whether criminal charges or civil action are warranted. The evidence will determine what happens next.
Alaskans have a fundamental right to vote for the candidate they actually intend to support. Deliberately tricking voters into casting their ballots for someone else strikes at the integrity of our elections.
Anyone or any organization found to have broken the law must be held accountable.
Today’s New York Times reporting reveals disturbing new evidence of an organized effort to manipulate Alaska’s elections by recruiting candidates—including one with the same name as an incumbent U.S. Senator—to deliberately confuse voters and misdirect their votes. The Alaska…
— Governor Mike Dunleavy (@GovDunleavy) October 29, 2026
I don’t know about you guys, but I am fuming. The election is next Tuesday. All of this should have been done in June.
Shame on the governor. Shame on the mainstream media.
Publications like the NYT should have used their resources over the summer to uncover that Democrat nominee Mary Peltola’s team and senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) were involved in the ruse.
I’m trying to write this article, but honestly, I am too p***ed off. Here are our previous reports:
- NYT: Peltola Campaign Helped Recruit ‘Decoy Dan’ to Spoil Alaska Senate Race
- DOJ Sues to Block Alaska Election Certification if Sen. Dan Sullivan Loses
- Report: Left-Wing Donors Bankroll ‘Decoy Dan’ Sullivan in Alaska Senate Race
- ‘Fake Dan Sullivan’ Complicates Alaska Senate Race For GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan
- Dem Operatives Put Copycat Sullivan on Alaska Ballot
Peltola called the attention to the supposed scheme a distraction because yeah, the NYT has such a history of going after Democrats:
This is just another distraction. It’s another diversion. Every day, it’s some new, you know, look over here moment. Not Dan Sullivan, registered Republican incumbent, voted for this war in Iran 14 times. Lisa Murkowski quit voting for that war in Iran six months ago, and he’s doubling and tripling down. And this is not somebody who’s working in our best interest. And anybody who’s working in our best interest isn’t going to talk about the nonsense. This is all stuff to sell newspapers. This is all stuff to get subscriptions. Nobody at the New York Times cares about affordability in Alaska.
At a rally in Soldotna today, US Senate candidate Mary Peltola said the media’s focus should be on Alaska’s high cost of living and Sen. Sullivan’s support of the war in Iran — not who is on the ballot.
“Nobody at the New York Times cares about affordability in Alaska.” pic.twitter.com/Ptg9kEOAtH
— Matt Tunseth (@MattTunseth) October 28, 2026
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Comments
Dan j. Sullivan is:
a. Phony Baloney
b. Mr Sham Wow
c. Spurious Dan
d. Bogus Bloke
e. Fake Jake
This is kabuki from the GOP as they did the exact same in Wa.
High road taken not they have. /Yoda
Down voting the truth eh?
From Grok:
2024 race for Governor of Washington. The main candidate was then-Attorney General Bob Ferguson (Democrat). Conservative activist Glen Morgan (sometimes referred to as Glenn) recruited and paid the filing fees for two other men who filed as Democrats under the same name: Robert Arthur Ferguson (of Yakima, a retired state employee) and Robert Benjamin Ferguson (of Graham, a U.S. Army veteran).The goal was to create ballot confusion and split votes away from the well-known Bob Ferguson in Washington’s top-two primary system. Morgan publicly acknowledged organizing it and said he had tried to recruit more people with the name.Attorney General Ferguson’s campaign sent cease-and-desist letters citing RCW 29A.84.320 (the longstanding state law making it a felony to file under a name similar to a well-known candidate with intent to confuse/mislead voters). The two additional candidates withdrew before the deadline rather than face potential prosecution; they cited legal pressure and lack of resources for a fight. No full court case reached a final “ineligible” ruling because they dropped out, but the Secretary of State’s office referenced the same statute and treated the filings as problematic under the anti-confusion rules.
Except you wouldn’t know the truth if you tripped on it, Andy. Your statement, “This is kabuki from the GOP”, is pure, unvarnished bullshit.
It’s different when Dems do it. Don’t like how it was played in Wash just as now in Alaska. Just because one can do it. Should they? That was the premise of a book on abuses by the Clinton’s. This all pales when considering the millions of illegals allowed in ….even protected from forced vaccination….to pave the way to a future one party rule.
The State of Washington does not have ranked-choice voting. Alaska has ranked-choice voting and therefore the two situations are not the same.
This story also gives the lie to the “there’s no statute against it.” On a talk show this morning, a host asked his co-host (a former attorney) “What statute would you cite to prosecute this election interference?” The co-host replied, “Conspiracy to deprive persons of their rights.”
I asked Google if there is an Alaska statute analogous to the federal statute:
Yes, Alaska (https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fhkb%2FCg4KCGxhbmd1YWdlEgJlbgoTCgR0eXBlEgtMT0NBTF9QTEFDRQoVCgtlbnRpdHlfbmFtZRIGYWxhc2th&q=Alaska) has a highly analogous statute. While Alaska previously had a law explicitly titled “Conspiracy against rights” (AS § 11.60.340), that section was repealed when the state overhauled its criminal code. [1] (https://law.justia.com/codes/alaska/2017/title-11/chapter-60/section-11.60.340/)
The modern equivalent is Alaska Statute § 11.76.110 (Interference with Constitutional Rights). [1] (https://codes.findlaw.com/ak/title-11-criminal-law/ak-st-sect-11-76-110/), [2] (https://law.justia.com/codes/alaska/2017/title-11/chapter-60/section-11.60.340/)
Key Elements of AS § 11.76.110
The statute mirrors the core purpose of federal civil rights laws by making it a crime if a person: [1] (https://codes.findlaw.com/ak/title-11-criminal-law/ak-st-sect-11-76-110/)
1. Injures, oppresses, threatens, or intimidates another person with the intent to deprive them of a right, privilege, or immunity granted by the Alaska Constitution or state laws. [1] (https://codes.findlaw.com/ak/title-11-criminal-law/ak-st-sect-11-76-110/)
2. Retaliates against another person because they exercised or enjoyed a protected state right. [1] (https://pressbooks.pub/alaskacriminallaw2022/chapter/abuse-of-public-office-official-misconduct/), [2] (https://codes.findlaw.com/ak/title-11-criminal-law/ak-st-sect-11-76-110/)
3. Intentionally deprives a person of these rights under color of law, ordinance, or regulation (applying specifically to government and law enforcement misconduct). [1] (https://codes.findlaw.com/ak/title-11-criminal-law/ak-st-sect-11-76-110/)
How it Differs from Federal Law (18 U.S.C. § 241)
• The “Conspiracy” Requirement: Unlike federal law (§ 241), which is fundamentally an agreement-based conspiracy charge, Alaska’s § 11.76.110 focuses on the act of interference itself. It applies to individual actors as well as groups. If multiple people are involved, prosecutors layer Alaska’s general conspiracy statute (AS § 11.31.120) on top of the civil rights violation.
• Severity & Penalties: The federal version is a major felony carrying up to 10 years (or life/death if violence occurs). In contrast, Alaska’s standalone statute is classified as a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $25,000. (Note: If physical violence or weapons are used during the deprivation of rights, defendants are usually charged with separate, higher-level felony assault or coercion offenses). [1] (https://codes.findlaw.com/ak/title-11-criminal-law/ak-st-sect-11-76-110/)
Current Legal Relevance
This specific statute frequently emerges in discussions regarding localized law enforcement misconduct or political disputes in the state. For example, during high-profile state controversies involving alleged election interference or ballot manipulation, legal scholars and state officials actively evaluate whether actions rise to a criminal violation under AS § 11.76.110. [1] (https://www.facebook.com/anchoragedailynews/posts/gov-mike-dunleavy-said-he-ordered-the-alaska-department-of-public-safety-to-dete/1646726137494884/)
No, it wasn’t ‘the exact same’.
They didn’t try to register with a name that wasn’t theirs. Which is exactly what this fake Sullivan did – tried to register with the EXACT name of the Republican, down to the middle initial that was not theirs.
These two red apples with worms in it are NOT the same.
One apple is in Washington which is owned by Democrats
the other apple is in Alaska which is owned by Republicans.
That’s how they are different.
The intent in both cases was to confuse voters and siphon off votes from the actual legit candidate. Both are cheap ploys when you have no shot at winning.
Fine, it’s wrong both ways.
Now, compare what happens when the GOP does it, with what happens when the DNC does it. Which one gets stopped by the courts, and which one gets a green light for fraud?
Every. Single. Time.
Your solution is what — the GOP should just shut up about it when the Dems do it?
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
It was smacked down in Wa, likely unjustly because these were real people. Wa could have forced them to use their legal name or made a contest of whether they really go by the name they put on the ballot which would have been a lot better than what Wa did- which was to pursue criminal charges. Glen wasn’t really all that vested in the ploy and they all just let it go.
I don’t think the Dems will prevail and it should be smacked down as well, especially with the middle initial.
My point is- the GOP is totally playing kabuki outrage because yes one of their guys tried it too.
If the GOP is playing by the same rules as have been allowed for the Democrats, I say more power to them.
“Highroading” is nothing more than a suicide pact.
Game Theory or go home.
Meanwhile, those Democrat rules include whining like hell when the other side does it, so I say more power to them for that, too.
Solution to the problem:
Shoot Decoy Dan in both legs and say: “Will the real Dan Sullivan please stand up”
Shoot Mary in the legs while your at it.
Amazing how the GOP never seems to want to win.
If Decoy Dan dreamt this up all on his own, so be it. Don’t see how you can keep someone off the ballot because of their name.
OTOH, if the opposition recruited, aided and abetted—doesn’t this at least border on election interference? Know for damned sure the first time the GOP tries such a trick in a blue state, we would find out in court. ASAP, not a week before the election.
Usually, political parties use “3 degrees of separation” for these tactics relying on independent Super PACs or anonymous donors so that the main candidate can maintain plausible deniability.
However, in this case:
1. N Y Times investigation stripped deniability away. Having text messages that tie the operation directly to top campaign aides—with a former campaign manager admitting that Mary Peltola was personally aware—is highly damaging.
2. Peltola has carefully built a reputation as a bipartisan, independent-minded “nice” politician who rises above toxic partisan warfare. Getting caught orchestrating a covert, deceptive ballot-stacking scheme completely undermines all of that.
The Sullivan trickster story has been out there for weeks and only now does it get factual coverage and in the NYT no less. Peltola will call it shenanigans and not interference. Voting will go on and nothing will happen. The governor calls for an investigation that some judge will overrule. Bruh.
The bigger the farce, the greater the success.
The real question is “why did the NYT run the story now?”
Yup, some Rs in WA tried this to and the guys were left off the ballot, as should have happened here.
They ran it now because it looks like the Dems have been lying in court and got caught. So now there’s a real possibility that people might get charged. So, the NYT is going to pretend its doing real journalism and it’s helping cover for the Dems
“I don’t know about you guys, but I am fuming. The election is next Tuesday. All of this should have been done in June.”
Thats the beauty of “early vote by mail.” You can wait three weeks, then launch a frantic “investigation” into chicanery to cover your ass, all the while reassured that the horse has already flown and the cat is safely out of the barn.
This is certainly sounding like conspiracy to interfere with voting rights under the Ku Klux Klan Act.
Of course, Democrats and the KKK are old buddies.
Saving democracy, one electoral fraud at a time
Dan J. Sullivan and Gerald Heikes were both placed on our ballot by Peltola to split the vote.
So far as timing and effect, this coming to public view a week before the election is about the best one could want.
Open primaries and ranked choice are problems here, and both are proving very difficult to change.
The reason this wasn’t done back in June was because it is probably not illegal. Unless some campaign finance law was broken – and I don’t see what that could be.
A MUCH bigger problem is that the Alaska GOP keeps renominating and reelecting Lisa Murkowski.
An even bigger problem is when RNC shovels hundreds of thousands at Murkowski to defeat MAGA primary challenger Tshibaka. Republicans need answers as to why this even happened..
lefty cheating again???
look the other way
The NYT knew this months ago because the information has been out there. They sat on it until they thought it was too late to influence the election counting on Petola to brazen it out and it appears she is, win on Tues then dare anyone to do something about it.
If I recall correctly, the Constitution gives the House and the Senate the final say when judging the results of an election of one of their members. I can think of several instances where the House refused to seat Representatives for various reasons, including a famous one involving Richard McIntyre (R-IN) whose election was rejected by the House in 1981 and his Democrat opponent was declared the winner of the seat on a party line vote.
Sounds like it’s our turn now.
Assuming the GOP has any balls at all, which is a fact not in evidence.
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