Independent Alaska Senate Candidate Daniel J. Sullivan Left Petersburg Before Election
The candidate, who shares a name with Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, was seen boarding a flight to Anchorage on Monday, and the Justice Department is suing in civil court to block certification if the incumbent loses.
By Bianca Zhao ·
Daniel J. Sullivan, the independent candidate on Alaska's Senate ballot, left his hometown of Petersburg earlier this week, multiple sources confirmed to CBS News. A resident and former student of Sullivan's said she saw him on a flight to Anchorage on Monday. Another friend said he and his wife are known among friends as "world travelers."
Petersburg has a population of around 3,000 and is accessible only by air or sea. The local school district said Sullivan taught music and fourth and fifth grade for nearly 20 years before retiring in 2021. He announced his candidacy last spring.
Dozens of Petersburg residents told CBS News they had not seen any mailers, flyers, brochures or signs since he entered the race. A CBS News crew in Petersburg found no sign of active campaigning, including outside his home along the main coastal highway. Andrew Worhatch, a Petersburg fisherman, said, "I don't think it's a serious candidacy. I haven't seen a platform."
Keely Hankins said she believes "Petersburg Dan" is the only candidate capable of representing Southeast Alaska. Darla Kowalski said, "It's just embarrassing to think that we, a small fishing village, have such a hoaxer."
Republicans have argued for months that Sullivan's presence on the ballot is meant to confuse voters in one of the country's closest midterm Senate races. Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan has called him a "sham candidate." State election officials initially deemed him ineligible for the ballot, but state courts reversed that decision.
The Peltola campaign and national Democrats have denied any connection to Daniel J. Sullivan. Peltola said she is "not interested in tricking voters" and "knew nothing about" the second Sullivan. In interviews over the summer, the Petersburg native said he was genuinely interested in serving as senator. The Justice Department is suing in civil court to block certification of the election if Sen. Dan Sullivan loses because of "voter confusion." Nobody has been charged with a crime.
Source: CBS News
