President Donald Trump is demanding that Alaska reassign votes in its unresolved U.S. Senate race — asking officials to take ballots cast for another candidate named Dan Sullivan and credit them to Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.
In a Thursday Truth Social post, Trump wrote that vote totals for what he called the “Fake Dan Sullivan,” plus what he labeled the Democratic “slug” on the ballot, “should be immediately given to the REAL Dan Sullivan, and the Election is over.” He added: “He easily wins. There is no other fair solution!”
The “other” Sullivan is independent candidate Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., who appeared on the ballot as Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr. As of Thursday morning, with about 75 percent of the expected vote counted, Democrat Mary Peltola was leading the race, with Sen. Sullivan close behind, according to Axios citing Associated Press tallies. Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. was running last with about 3,600 votes. Another Republican, Gerald L. Heikes, was in third with more than 4,800.
The demand lands as Alaska continues counting ballots days after Democrats flipped control of both the House and Senate in the midterms. Trump’s Justice Department had already moved to intervene in the Alaska race, arguing voter confusion over the similar names threatened the result. A federal judge dismissed the DOJ’s bid to delay certification; the department appealed.
Progressive audiences watching for election interference will note the sequence: after a midterm wipeout, the president is publicly calling for votes cast for other candidates to be handed to his party’s incumbent — before Alaska has finished counting.
Alaska election officials are still processing remaining ballots. There is no indication state officials have agreed to Trump’s demand to reassign votes.