Alaska Senate Write-In Candidate Leaves Petersburg Before Election

Daniel J. Sullivan, the independent candidate for Senate in Alaska whose surname and given name match the Republican incumbent seeking reelection, departed his hometown of Petersburg earlier this week, multiple sources confirmed. A former student of his saw him on a Monday flight to Anchorage, two days before The New York Times reported he had been recruited by operatives connected to Democrat Mary Peltola's campaign.

Petersburg is a town of about 3,000 people reachable only by air or sea. Dozens of residents told CBS News they have received no mailers, flyers, brochures or signs since Sullivan announced his candidacy last spring. A CBS News crew on the ground found no sign of active campaigning in the days before the election, including outside his home on the main coastal highway. "I don't think it's a serious candidacy," said Andrew Worhatch, a Petersburg fisherman. "I haven't seen a platform."

Sullivan taught music and fourth and fifth grade in the local school district for nearly 20 years before retiring in 2021. Republicans have argued for months that his candidacy was designed to confuse voters in a close Senate race, and incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan has called him a "sham candidate." State election officials first deemed him ineligible for the ballot, but state courts reversed that decision. The Peltola campaign and national Democrats deny any connection to him; Peltola has said she is "not interested in tricking voters" and "knew nothing about" the second Sullivan.

Some Petersburg residents still back him. Keely Hankins said she plans to vote for "Petersburg Dan," writing in "Daniel J. Sullivan, Jr." rather than choosing the incumbent. Others have criticized the attention the situation has brought. "It's just embarrassing to think that we, a small fishing village, have such a hoaxer," said Darla Kowalski.

After the Times reported on the alleged recruitment effort, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy and the Justice Department responded. Nobody has been charged. The Justice Department has filed a civil suit to block certification of the election if Sen. Dan Sullivan loses, citing voter confusion.