Alaska Judge Keeps Two Sullivans on Senate Primary Ballot

The Alaska Division of Elections originally pulled the candidate from the ballot, siding with Republican leadership who argued his presence was a calculated effort to sow voter confusion. Party officials claimed the candidacy—alongside support from Democratic interests—was designed to siphon votes and bolster the profile of Senate Democratic candidate Mary Peltola. Judge Matthews, however, found no constitutional justification for the state's intervention, effectively overturning the disqualification.

With the state’s primary ballot printing deadline approaching, the legal battle is far from settled. The Republican Party is expected to escalate the challenge to the Alaska Supreme Court, seeking a reversal of the Superior Court’s ruling. As the clock ticks toward the election, the campaigns involved have remained silent on the ruling, leaving the ballot's final composition in a state of high-stakes uncertainty.