Thom Tillis supports review of Alaska ballot with duplicate candidate names

Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, said on October 25, 2026, that it is appropriate to take a look at the outcome of the Alaska Senate election. The Hill reported that Tillis addressed the race because the ballot contains two candidates with identical names. The presence of the similar names has prompted a lawsuit by the Department of Justice. [1]

Incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan is running for a third term to represent Alaska in the United States Senate. Former Democratic Congresswoman Mary Peltola is challenging him in the election scheduled for November 3, 2026. Alaska uses ranked-choice voting to select winners based on voters' orders of preference for the candidates. [2][4]

Tillis referred to incumbent Senator Sullivan as his friend while discussing the candidate who shares the same name on the ballot. Tillis has served as the senior United States senator from North Carolina since 2015. He previously served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2007 to 2015, including four years as speaker. [1][3]