On Tuesday, Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-Florida) stated that the disqualification of a same-name Republican challenger to Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) by Alaska’s Division of Elections reveals a pattern of Democratic election interference and underscores the necessity for federal voter ID legislation to advance in the Senate.
Luna made the remarks during an appearance on “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” where she described the ruling as evidence of recurring issues in elections. She said, “It’s completely not right that they’re doing that. But then again, every single day, you know, we have one of these issues.”
Alaska Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher ruled Monday that Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from Petersburg, cannot appear on the August 18 primary ballot because his declaration of candidacy was not filed in good faith but “with a purpose to confuse or mislead” voters.
Beecher cited several factors: Sullivan registered as a Republican two days before filing his campaign, his campaign website mirrored the incumbent’s color scheme, and launch-release metadata identified a Democrat consultant as the author of the campaign materials.
Sullivan has 30 days to appeal the decision. Ballots will print on June 28.
Sullivan now faces former Representative Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) in one of this year’s most-watched Senate contests under Alaska’s top-four nonpartisan primary and ranked-choice general election system.
Public polling has consistently shown a competitive race, with an Alaska Survey Research poll conducted March 19-22 finding Peltola leading Sullivan 52.4% to 47.6% in a third-round ranked-choice simulation and 48.8% to 43.5% in the first round among 1,590 Alaska adults.
Luna concluded her remarks by stating that Democrats are “very cunning” in how they try to interfere with elections and emphasized that voter ID should be the top national issue.
