JUNEAU, Alaska — The Alaska Supreme Court on Monday ruled that a man with the same name and party affiliation as Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan is qualified to run for the seat and ordered elections officials to place him on the August primary ballot.
The ruling came hours after arguments Monday and just days after state court Judge Thomas Matthews found the Division of Elections had “abused its discretion” in booting the challenger Sullivan from the ballot. The Supreme Court, in a brief ruling, affirmed Matthews’ decision but sent back to the division the issue of how the challenger should be listed on the ballot, “within the confines of existing Alaska ballot design law.”
The court said a full opinion explaining its decision would be released later.
The division’s director, Carol Beecher, issued a decision June 15 that found the challenger’s candidacy was not filed in good faith and instead was done with an intent to confuse voters. But Matthews said Beecher’s decision was not based on the requirements set out by the U.S. Constitution to serve in the Senate - which address age, citizenship and residency - or on state laws or regulations.
The dust-up over the two Dan Sullivans began with the challenger filing his candidacy about a month ago and has roiled one of the most closely watched U.S. Senate races in the country. Alaska’s race is one of about a half dozen Senate contests across the nation this year that are considered competitive and that could determine control of the chamber for President Donald Trump’s final two years in office.
The filing prompted accusations by the senator and his allies, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee, that the challenger is a sham candidate intent on sowing chaos. That led to an investigation of his candidacy by Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, who oversees elections.
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