National Republican Senatorial Committee sends letter to Elections Division about the Petersburg Poser

By SUZANNE DOWNING

June 2, 2026 – The fight over Alaska’s newest Senate candidate intensified Monday as the National Republican Senatorial Committee formally asked Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom and Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher to reject the candidacy of Petersburg resident Dan Sullivan, arguing that his candidacy is designed to confuse voters and undermine confidence in Alaska elections.

The Petersburg Sullivan, “Decoy Dan,” and the “Petersburg Poser,” filed as a Republican.

The seven-page legal letter, sent by NRSC General Counsel Blake Murphy, alleges that Sullivan’s candidacy serves as a deliberate attempt to mislead voters by creating confusion with incumbent US Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is seeking reelection in 2026.

The letter goes beyond merely pointing out the problem of  a candidate with the same name for the same office. It argues that the Petersburg candidate should not be certified because he recently changed his voter registration to Republican despite a long history of supporting Democratic candidates and causes. The NRSC contends that the candidate’s declaration of candidacy is defective because he is not, in fact, a Republican and has never been affiliated with the Alaska Republican Party. He is, in fact, affiliated with Mary Peltola, who is running against Sen. Sullivan.

The NRSC points to campaign materials used by the Petersburg candidate, including a campaign logo and website that closely resemble those used by the incumbent senator. The letter alleges that the similarities are intended to mislead voters into believing the challenger is associated with the sitting senator’s campaign. Attachments included with the filing show side-by-side comparisons of campaign logos and websites.

Perhaps most explosively, the Republican organization alleges that the candidate’s campaign is connected to Democratic political operatives. The letter cites public reports that Amber Lee, a former consultant to Mary Peltola and current Anchorage political strategist for Democrats, helped publicize the candidacy when it was announced. The NRSC argues that the candidacy intentionally benefits Peltola’s Senate campaign by siphoning votes from the incumbent senator and creating voter confusion.

The filing includes campaign finance records showing contributions by the “Petersburg Poser” Sullivan to Democratic candidates and organizations over several election cycles, including donations to Mary Peltola and Alaska Democratic Party efforts.

In a separate attachment, Alaska Republican Party Chair Carmela Warfield urged elections officials to thoroughly review the filing, saying the candidacy raises “serious concerns about voter confusion and the integrity of Alaska’s election process.” Warfield wrote that Alaska voters deserve an election system that rewards honesty and transparency rather than political gamesmanship.

The NRSC letter asks the lieutenant governor and Division of Elections to refuse certification of the candidacy, arguing that Alaska law requires election officials to protect voters from misleading ballot practices and preserve confidence in the election process. The committee also sent preservation notices to the candidate, Amber Lee, and others directing them to retain records related to the campaign.

The controversy has already become a national story. Republicans have increasingly referred to the Petersburg candidate as “Decoy Dan” as his candidacy is a calculated effort to exploit Alaska’s open primary and ranked-choice voting system.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Division of Elections had not publicly indicated whether it intends to review or challenge the candidate’s filing.

The Senate race is expected to be one of the nation’s most closely watched contests in 2026, with Democrat Mary Peltola seeking to unseat Sen. Dan Sullivan as national Democrats search for pickup opportunities in their effort to regain control of the US Senate.

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