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Iowa Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand is criticizing an alleged effort by Democrats to “siphon” votes from a Republican senator, calling the tactic “manipulating the political system” as the controversy consumes Alaska’s bruising Senate race.
Sand was asked by about allegations that Democrats have boosted unaffiliated Alaska Senate candidate Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., whose name closely resembles that of incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, in an effort to draw votes away from the senator.
“Both parties are doing it and neither party should be doing it,” Sand told in an exclusive interview Sunday. “To me, it’s manipulating the political system and it’s not a good thing to do.”
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Democratic Party candidate for Iowa governor, Rob Sand. (Rob Sand For Iowa)
The unusual candidacy has become the center of an escalating legal and political fight in Alaska, where the Justice Department has intervened, arguing that the similarity between the candidates’ names could confuse voters. On the ballot, the Republican incumbent appears as “Dan S. Sullivan,” identified as a Republican and the incumbent, while his unaffiliated challenger appears as “Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.”
Republicans argue the similarity could cause some voters intending to support the senator to instead select his unaffiliated challenger, accusing Democratic operatives of helping elevate Daniel J. Sullivan to “siphon” votes from the GOP incumbent. Democrats have blasted the Trump administration’s intervention, while Daniel J. Sullivan has denied that he is a Democratic plant.
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Dan J. Sullivan, who has filed to run for U.S. Senate in Alaska, poses for a photo in Petersburg, Alaska, on June 26, 2026. (Katie Holmlund/Associated Press)
Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the Trump administration’s lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska’s Senate results if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses to his Democratic opponent, Mary Peltola.
The administration says the lawsuit is intended to address the possible voter confusion, but Peltola called the case “flagrant corruption,” while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called it “an outrage.”
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Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and former Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) (Nathaniel Wilder/Bloomberg via Getty Images) ((Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) (Nathaniel Wilder/Bloomberg via Getty Images))
“This is an outrage,” Schumer said on social media about the suit. “It shows they know they’re going to lose. We will fight tooth and nail. And we will win.”
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Peltola has argued that voters can distinguish between the two candidates and her campaign has asked a federal judge to dismiss the Justice Department’s case.
