Peltola Campaign and Senate Democrats Ask Judge to Throw Out DOJ Suit Over Alaska Senate Certification
Attorneys for Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola's campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee filed a motion Friday asking a federal judge to let them join the Justice Department's Alaska Senate lawsuit as defendants so they can seek to have it dismissed, according to NBC News and CNBC.
What the Democrats Argue
The filing, made on behalf of the campaign, Alaskans for Mary, and the DSCC, called the lawsuit "an unprecedented pre-emptive strike on democratic elections," NBC News reported.
"This case directly threatens both Proposed Intervenors' interests by demanding that defendants refuse to certify the election if, and only if, Peltola wins," the filing said, according to NBC News. It also said "the Department of Justice's assumption that every voter who casts a vote for Dan J. Sullivan really meant to vote for Senator Sullivan is insulting to voters and irreconcilable with Alaska's ranked choice voting procedures."
The Democrats argue that the National Voter Registration Act, which the department cites, has no provision letting the federal government dictate candidate eligibility or ballot layout, CNBC reported. They also questioned whether state officials would defend the case vigorously, since the Division of Elections earlier tried to keep Dan J. Sullivan off the ballot, according to NBC News.
In a separate filing, the League of Women Voters of Alaska, Common Cause and two voters also asked to join the case as defendants, arguing that the department's demand to look into voter intent raises serious constitutional problems, CNBC reported.
What the Justice Department Wants in the Alaska Senate Race
The department sued Alaska election officials on Oct. 22, arguing that the ballot appearance of a second candidate, Dan J. Sullivan Jr., could mislead voters who want to re-elect Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. It asks the court to block certification if the senator loses and if, had all votes for Dan J. Sullivan gone to the senator, the senator would have won under ranked-choice voting, according to NBC News.
Trump told reporters on Friday that he directed the department to file the suit. "I'm the one that said 'do it,'" he said, according to CNBC. In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump wrote that the race "is totally confusing" and "It's ridiculous that the Court didn't stop this SCAM," NBC News reported. Trump has claimed Dan J. Sullivan Jr. is running only because "Democrats put him up as a matter of confusion"; Sullivan Jr. has denied the allegations, according to NBC News.
Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski wrote on social media that "The Department of Justice should never have filed this lawsuit," CNBC reported.
Alaska's Supreme Court affirmed in June that Dan J. Sullivan Jr. belongs on the ballot and directed officials to clearly tell the two men apart. The ballot lists Sen. Sullivan as the incumbent Republican, while the other Sullivan has no party registration, according to CNBC. Early voting is underway, and no hearing date had been set as of Friday, NBC News reported.
Image: Alaska State Capitol, Juneau (file photo), James Brooks, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Yossi Schmidt, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Digital Free Press
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Sources: NBC News, "Democrats ask judge to dismiss Trump administration's challenge to Alaska Senate race" (Oct. 24, 2026): https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/democrats-ask-judge-dismiss-trump-administrations-challenge-alaska-sen-rcna605472 ; CNBC, "Dems, voting-rights groups challenge bid to block Alaska certification" (Oct. 24, 2026): https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/24/alaska-senate-doj-certification-lawsuit.html
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