Feds Run 'Aggressive' Criminal Probe of Alaska's Second Dan Sullivan

Federal prosecutors are conducting an “aggressive criminal investigation” into how a second candidate named Dan Sullivan secured a spot on Alaska’s U.S. Senate ballot, two sources familiar with the investigation told Fox News on Wednesday.

The probe is led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alaska and has been underway for several months, but it intensified after a New York Times report detailing an alleged Democratic effort to recruit spoiler candidates to pull votes from Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, according to Fox News. Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin shared the report on X, crediting colleague David Spunt.

BREAKING: Colleague @davidspunt reports via two sources familiar that there is an ongoing DOJ "aggressive criminal investigation" into Daniel J. Sullivan appearing on the ballot for US Senate in Alaska, and the investigation has intensified in the wake of the bombshell NYT report…

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) October 28, 2026

Subpoenas and phone records

Multiple grand jury subpoenas are expected to be issued in the coming hours and days, the sources told Fox News. Investigators are also preparing preservation orders for cellphone companies to secure text messages and emails that could help establish a timeline of Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.’s candidacy, according to the same report.

Prosecutors are examining potential charges involving the deprivation of Alaska voters’ rights, Fox News reported, and the investigation is expected to continue past Tuesday’s election. The Justice Department declined to comment to Fox News on whether an investigation exists.

The federal case is not starting from scratch. A law enforcement official told NBC News that a grand jury issued subpoenas last week to compel information from witnesses tied to the Daniel J. Sullivan campaign. NBC News also reported that both state and federal prosecutors are looking at whether his candidacy was part of a conspiracy to confuse voters.

What the Times reported

The Times investigation, published Wednesday, described an effort known internally as the “ballot composition project” that began in the summer of 2025, when a Peltola staffer was told to search state voter rolls for Alaskans named Dan Sullivan, according to Fox News. Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired Petersburg teacher, switched his registration to Republican shortly before filing for the race, Fox News reported.

Peltola’s campaign has denied any role. The campaign “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign,” it told Fox News. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has also denied recruiting the second Sullivan, according to Fox News. Daniel J. Sullivan told the Times he registered as a Republican because his former party, the Alaska Independence Party, no longer exists, NBC News reported.

Trump: “They cheat”

President Donald Trump escalated his attacks Wednesday. “Mary Peltola should resign from the race. I think she should be prosecuted criminally for what she did,” Trump told reporters, according to Fox News. In a Truth Social post, he wrote that Peltola “should be removed from the Ballot and prosecuted — So should the FAKE Dan Sullivan,” Fox News reported. Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Fox News that the people behind the same-name candidacy are “cheating.”

The civil case

Separately, the Justice Department is suing to block certification of the race if Sen. Sullivan loses but would have won had votes for Daniel J. Sullivan gone to him, according to the Juneau Independent. U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason said she intended to rule by 5 p.m. Alaska time Wednesday on whether Peltola’s campaign, the DSCC and voter groups may join the case, the Juneau Independent reported.

Under Alaska’s top-four general election system, Peltola is the only Democrat on Tuesday’s ballot, facing Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, Daniel J. Sullivan and Gerald Heikes, according to Fox News.

Sources

• Bill Melugin (Fox News) on X
• Fox News live updates: Alaska Senate spoiler scheme under scrutiny
• Fox News Special Report: Grand jury subpoenas expected in Alaska spoiler candidate probe
• NBC News: The second Dan Sullivan makes the general election
• Fox News: Mary Peltola campaign tied to Dan Sullivan spoiler plot, report says
• Juneau Independent: DOJ opposes Peltola intervention

Reporting by Daily Beltway.