Just how desperate are Democrats to win back control of the Senate? Not desperate enough to honestly appeal to voters or dump their Democratic Socialists of America leadership. Rather than try either of those, Democrats recruited a violent, Nazi-tatted Kik creeper on one end of the country, and set up an imposter on the other.
That's how Democrats went from Maine Kampf to Baked Alaskan.
Incumbent GOP Senator Dan Sullivan faces an all-in primary that will produce four candidates for the general election. Sullivan's main competition is former House Democrat Mary Peltola, who narrowly lost her at-large seat after one term to Nick Begich in 2024. At least, that's who Dan Sullivan thought would be his toughest competitor until Dan Sullivan entered the race. The other Dan Sullivan, whose website bore a close resemblance to the incumbent Republican Senator and whose last-minute entry raised eyebrows from Anchorage to Washington, DC.
Sullivan – the real Sullivan – filed complaints with the Federal Elections Commission and with state authorities. Alaska's election director kicked Sullivan II: Peltola Boogaloo off the ballot late yesterday, determining that the attempt to enter the race was a malicious act:
Alaska’s top elections official said Monday that Dan J. Sullivan was ineligible to appear on the August primary ballot for the state’s critical Senate race after determining his candidacy was “not filed in good faith” but instead “with the purpose of confusing or misleading the electorate.”
Director of Elections Carol Beecher’s decision is a massive relief for the national GOP apparatus, which had accused Dan J. Sullivan of attempting to deceive voters by appearing on the ballot with the same name and party affiliation as the incumbent — and of working with an operative who previously backed former Rep. Mary Peltola to try to rig the Senate race in the Democrat’s favor. Peltola’s campaign had previously denied any involvement with either Sullivans’ bids and did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. ...
Dan J. Sullivan has 30 days to appeal. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday, but he posted on social media Sunday that he “met the qualification” and had entered the race “because I am unhappy with the 12 year record of the current Senator and I feel we need a change.”
He would have to work fast; Beecher noted in her letter that ballots are printed on June 28 — less than two weeks away.
Peltola's campaign denied any connection to Sullivan the Sequel, but CBS News notes that the erstwhile candidate had links to Democrat strategists. So did Beecher, who wasn't shy about pointing it out, either:
Beecher noted that at one point, Daniel J. Sullivan tried to file as just "Dan Sullivan," despite never using that iteration of his name to vote. Beecher pointed out that Daniel J. Sullivan even tried to list "S" as his middle initial — the same initial as the incumbent senator. She also outlined how the two campaign websites look similar, suggesting a "deliberate" appropriation of Sen. Sullivan's campaign. ...
Beecher noted that a political consultant for Daniel J. Sullivan has ties to the Democratic Party and Sen. Sullivan's expected Democratic challenger, former Rep. Mary Peltola.
Oopsie!
The strategy for Democrats is obvious. Donald Trump won Alaska by 13 points in 2024, but the unique structure of Alaska's primaries offers the opportunity for manipulation. The GOP has lined up behind Sullivan, so even with the all-in primary, the expected result would be Sullivan versus three candidates splitting the protest vote. Unless, that is, voters got confused as to which Sullivan was which in the open primary, and then again in the general election.
This is what parties do when they run out of ideas and voter appeal. They cheat the voters by treating them like idiots.
At least the DSA didn't recruit a Nazi-tatted Kik creeper with a track record of violence against women. That we know of, anyway.
Jonathan Turley expresses disgust, as well as amusement, over the clumsy nature of this electoral fraud:
[Beecher] also noted his connection to Amber Lee, an Alaska Democratic consultant and past supporter of Peltola.
If true, it is a disgraceful role played by this retired teacher and Democratic operatives. While claiming to be defending democracy, Democratic activists and leaders often use the most anti-democratic measures of ballot cleansing or, in this case, ballot confusion.
The question is the role of Peltola, the DNC, and the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee in encouraging this dirty trick in Alaska. That would require an inquisitive, independent national media.
And don't miss his devastating conclusion:
Once again, from Alaska to Maine, Democrats may have to ask, “Are we the baddies?‘
Democrats answered that question when they tried to explain away the Nazi SS Totenkopf, Platner's lies about it, and the abuse of Lyndsey Fifield. This is just a relatively amusing and amateurish coda to their embrace of corruption and viciousness.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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