US President Donald Trump demanded Thursday that ballots cast for third-party contenders in Alaska's Senate race be awarded to incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan to secure his victory.
"The vote totals for the fake Dan Sullivan, plus the other 'slug' that the Dems put on the ballot, should be immediately given to the real Dan Sullivan, and the election is over - he easily wins," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, asserting that there was "no other fair solution!"
The latest media projections show a head-to-head race with 75% of votes counted, placing Democratic nominee Mary Peltola narrowly ahead with 102,962 votes (48.2%) against 102,325 votes (47.9%) for Dan S. Sullivan. Independent candidate Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. collected 3,600 votes (1.7%), a total potentially large enough to swing the race if the votes were reallocated.
Republicans previously criticized the inclusion of a similarly named third-party candidate on the ballot, alleging that Dan S. Sullivan's political opponents had sought to confuse voters. Peltola dismissed claims that her campaign had played any role in recruiting the contender.
Democrats also argue that such similarly named candidates have often been included on ballots, so changing the rules in this race would amount to a double standard.
The contest remains uncalled following Tuesday's midterm elections, in which Democrats captured control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, regardless of the outcome in Alaska. State regulations permit absentee ballots from overseas and military voters to arrive up to 15 days after Election Day, leaving final certified results weeks away.
Current projections put the Democratic majority in the 100-seat Senate at 54, which is a numerical majority but often not enough due to the chamber's rules.
Under filibuster rules, many Senate votes are subject to the need for a supermajority of 60 votes in practice. To do that, Democrats would need to win over some Republican support, and a 55-seat majority-with Peltola-would put that goal within easier reach.
