# Sanders says what Democrats did in Alaska “seems to be pretty dumb”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/sanders-says-what-democrats-did-in-alaska-seems-to-be-pretty-dumb/
- Published: 2026-11-01T21:49:03+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-04T00:04:05+00:00
- Original publisher: The Hill (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/6187375-sanders-alaska-ballot-stacking/
- Topics: Americas, Art, Culture, Elections, Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- Sanders called the reported ballot tactic “pretty dumb” but said it was legal.
- Two candidates named Dan Sullivan appeared in Alaska’s Senate race.
- The dispute has drawn federal scrutiny ahead of the result.

## Summary

US senator Bernie Sanders criticised an alleged Democratic effort to influence Alaska’s Senate ballot, saying it “seems to me to be pretty dumb”. Speaking on 1 November, he was responding to reports that Democratic operatives helped recruit a retired teacher named Dan Sullivan to run in the same race as Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola. Peltola has said she did not know about the effort. Sanders said he regarded the tactic as legal, while arguing that attempts to draw votes from an opponent also occur in other elections.

The controversy has prompted a federal investigation and a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to challenge certification of the race if the other Sullivan’s candidacy affects the result. President Donald Trump has called for Peltola’s prosecution, while Sanders said Alaskans should decide how to handle their election. The Republican incumbent has said he would accept the certified result. Alaska’s courts have allowed both Sullivans to remain on the ballot, leaving voters to distinguish between them in the state’s ranked-choice election.

## Coverage

- [The Hill: Sanders says what Democrats did in Alaska “seems to be pretty dumb”](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/6187375-sanders-alaska-ballot-stacking/)
- [CBS News: Transcript: Sen. Bernie Sanders on Face the Nation, Nov. 1, 2026](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bernie-sanders-face-the-nation-transcript-11-01-2026/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.