Alaska Senate Ballot Will List Two Candidates Named Dan Sullivan

Alaska election officials will list two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the November U.S. Senate ballot. " The challenger will appear as "Sullivan, Daniel J. " without a party label. The state Supreme Court overturned a Division of Elections ruling that had removed the challenger from the August primary ballot.

Officials had determined the candidacy was intended to "confuse or mislead" voters. The court ordered the name kept on the ballot under existing state design rules.

The challenger is a retired school teacher who describes himself as an independent Republican. He previously contributed to Democratic candidates, including the Democratic nominee. Election officials said the challenger initially asked to appear as a Republican despite having no prior party affiliation.

He also requested the ballot name "Dan S. Sullivan" before changing the request. An attorney for the state told the court the similarity was unlikely to be accidental.

The Democratic nominee is former Rep.

Mary Peltola. A nonpartisan polling firm said the state's ranked-choice system makes it likely both Sullivans and Peltola will advance to a November runoff. The Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up. The challenger told the Associated Press he had "zero, none, zilch" contact with Peltola's campaign.

The race is one of several competitive contests that could determine Senate control in November.