Democrat-backed candidate shares name with Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan

A Democratic strategist has put forward a Senate candidate who shares the name of Alaska's incumbent Republican senator, a move that has drawn accusations of an attempt to confuse voters.

Campaign records show Amber Lee, a progressive consultant, wrote the press release announcing the bid of a second Dan Sullivan. Republican strategists say the new candidate has no connection to Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska.

"Mary Peltola and Chuck Schumer know they can’t beat Senator Sullivan on his record, so they’re resorting to deceitful political maneuvers that attempt to trick Alaskans and buy a seat," said National Republican Senate Committee spokesperson Nick Puglia.

The second Sullivan's campaign website states: "Dan Sullivan challenges Dan Sullivan for U.S. Senate Seat, urges Alaskans to defeat incumbent, elect a Sullivan who stands up for Alaska."

His biography says he worked in logging, construction, bartending and forestry before deciding to run out of frustration with what he described as federal inefficiency.

The campaign's Instagram account has no posts and two followers. The campaign did not respond to questions about whether Sullivan was recruited to run, whether filings had been made with the Federal Election Commission, or whether he would run as an independent.

Both men will appear on Alaska's open primary ballot on August 18. The top four candidates advance to the general election. If the second Sullivan reaches the November ballot, the overlap could create confusion in rural areas.

Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, which lets voters rank multiple candidates. That system can increase the impact of lower-polling candidates if voters' first choices are eliminated.

Lee has worked with former Rep. Mary Peltola, who is challenging Sullivan and who won Alaska's at-large House seat in 2022. Her firm, Amber Strategies, lists clients including Alaska Women Ascent, a group that recruits candidates who support abortion rights, LGBTQ rights, unions and racial justice.

Sullivan first won election to the Senate in 2015 after serving as Alaska's attorney general. He won reelection in 2022 with 53.9 percent of the vote to 41.2 percent for independent challenger Al Gross.