We've been reporting on the "Decoy Dan" scandal in regard to the Senate race in Alaska between Democrat nominee Mary Peltola and Republican incumbent Sen. Daniel S. Sullivan (R-AK)
Except it isn't only them, and that's the problem. The scandal was that the Peltola campaign is alleged to have solicited Daniel J. Sullivan to run in an effort to confuse people and siphon votes away from the incumbent senator. Peltola denies that she knew about any such plan, although now she has also said she has "no idea" if anyone in her campaign was involved.
If you look at the ballot, you can see the problem.
Wow, just look at how absolutely insane the Alaska ballot is! Ranked-choice voting is absurd enough. But now Democrats also recruited a random Dan Sullivan to confuse voters even more. Alaska patriots, repeal ranked-choice voting and vote for the real Sullivan, @DanSullivan_AK. https://t.co/OzajlEfm3u
— Steve Cortes (@SteveCortes) October 27, 2026
Part of the problem is the incumbent Republican Sullivan is last.
So if you look at Gerald Heikes as the Republican candidate first and you wanted to vote Republican, you might think he was the Republican nominee. If you just read till you see Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., you might confuse him with Daniel S. and not read all the way down.
Now, hopefully, with all the attention on the matter and the listing of Daniel S. Sullivan as "incumbent" and Republican, that should help and make confusion less likely.
But then you can still have problems, as the interview with this voter shows.
A look of utter PANIC overtakes a Republican voter in Anchorage, Alaska, as he realizes that he may have voted for the wrong Dan Sullivan. Democrats and their media allies insist there is no confusion among voters. That’s just not true. Watch this man’s facial expressions closely as it sets in that he may have cast his ballot for the spoiler candidate. ALASKA VOTER: “I don’t remember seeing the other Dan Sullivan.” “I totally forgot to look if there was two Dan Sullivans.” NEWSNATION: “The two were together on the ballot.” That’s when it starts to sink in. ALASKA VOTER: “Yeah….” NEWSNATION: “You didn’t notice that?” ALASKA VOTER: “I just…I might be just having a brain freeze. But I don’t remember the second Dan Sullivan.” How many others may have voted for the spoiler?
— Overton (@overton_news) November 2, 2026
He's not sure, and he doesn't remember seeing a second Dan Sullivan on the ballot. Which may mean he voted for the man he didn't intend to vote for while wanting to vote, as he said, for the "real" Dan Sullivan. That's exactly what the plan was about; this is why they went to all the effort, hoping it would sow enough confusion to siphon off people and cost the "real" Sullivan just enough votes. This shows at least some people are going to be confused.
This of course was the plan all along
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) November 2, 2026
In a close race, such confusion could make a difference. Then they also have ranked-choice voting, which adds another wrinkle and may take more time to figure out who the winner is as well.
So hopefully Republicans turn out in force and independents are also sufficiently aggrieved by this alleged attempt to manipulate the vote, and they deliver a win to the "real" Daniel S. (for Senator) Sullivan.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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