Mary Peltola rejects claims she knew of plan to recruit rival Sullivan

Mary Peltola has denied knowing about an alleged effort to recruit a second candidate named Dan Sullivan for Alaska’s Senate race, saying she had no interest in confusing voters. The dispute matters because the closely contested election could help determine which party controls the US Senate, and it has prompted a state inquiry and federal legal action.

The New York Times reported that people connected to Peltola’s campaign and senior Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee aides tried to recruit Dan J Sullivan, a retired teacher; the BBC has not independently verified the report. Peltola’s campaign and the retired teacher deny links to the alleged plan, while the Justice Department has issued subpoenas, but no charges had been filed by Friday morning. A federal lawsuit seeking to prevent certification if the Trump-backed incumbent loses is before a judge, and the race is rated a toss-up by the non-partisan Cook Political Report.