Alaska Senate race draws federal lawsuit over candidate recruitment
The US Justice Department has amended its federal lawsuit over Alaska's Senate race, citing a New York Times report that Democratic operatives working with Mary Peltola's campaign sought to recruit spoiler candidates to draw votes from Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. One recruit, Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from Petersburg, entered the race in May. The suit asks to block certification of any result affected by voter confusion. Governor Mike Dunleavy has ordered a state probe into whether laws were broken. Peltola's campaign denies involvement with either Sullivan campaign. Polls close in Alaska on 3 Nov, and Peltola leads narrowly.
Key facts
- Peltola's former campaign manager Elisa Rios, fired in August, reportedly told the Times that Peltola knew of the effort.
- The campaign, the DSCC and state election officials asked Judge Sharon Gleason to dismiss the suit before Election Day.
- Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the US Senate; Democrats need a net gain of four seats for control.
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Why it matters
The dispute could affect certification of a Senate result that bears on whether Democrats gain the four seats they need for control.
What changed
First published from The Jerusalem Post, CBS News, El País English, Fortune and CNBC