Sullivan campaign, NRSC form ‘recount fund’ for Alaska Senate race

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has filed paperwork to establish a recount fund for Alaska’s US Senate race, in which Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan faces former Democratic congresswoman Mary Peltola. The filing, made on election day, lists Sullivan’s campaign as a participant. The committee said it was preparing for possible recounts and wanted every vote counted accurately. Establishing a fund does not mean a recount has been requested or that the result is known.

The move follows a dispute over another candidate on the ballot, retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan, who shares the senator’s first and last names. Republicans say voters could confuse the two. Reporting has linked Democratic operatives to efforts to recruit the challenger, while Peltola’s campaign has denied involvement. A federal judge recently dismissed a Justice Department attempt to delay certification of a possible Peltola victory over the issue. The close contest could help determine control of the Senate, making the count and any subsequent challenge particularly consequential.