Alaska urges federal court to dismiss Trump lawsuit over Senate ballots

Alaska state officials urged a federal judge on Saturday to dismiss a lawsuit filed at the direction of President Donald Trump to halt the certification of the U.S. Senate election. ABC News, PBS, and the Anchorage Daily News reported that state attorneys described the attempt to set aside ballots as meritless and not even possible. [1][7][8][9][10][11]

The dispute centers on allegations that Democrats recruited a second candidate named Dan Sullivan to confuse voters. BBC News reported that incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan accused Democrats of running retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan as a spoiler candidate. Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola denied any knowledge of the alleged plot. [3][4][10]

NPR and BBC News reported that the U.S. Justice Department has escalated a criminal investigation into the matter and requested that election officials isolate ballots that rank the second candidate. The investigation follows reports that Democrats recruited a candidate to divide conservative voters in the toss-up race. [3][4]

Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters expressed confidence in Republican prospects in Alaska and other battleground states ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, according to The Hill. [6]