Alaska's Senator Dan Sullivan Has a New Challenger: Dan Sullivan

Here in the Great Land, we kind of have our own way of doing things. I'm fond of saying that you don't have to be a little bit crazy to live in Alaska, but it sure doesn't hurt any. Nowhere is that more true than in our politics, and the sometimes odd people who enter Alaska politics. In 2022, our at-large House seat was up for a vote; one of the contenders was a guy from North Pole (yes, it's a real place, up toward Fairbanks) who had changed his legal name to Santa Claus. And for years, the Mayor of Talkeetna was a cat.

Now, in this midterm election, Alaska's junior senator, Republican Dan Sullivan (some might argue our only Republican Senator) is up for re-election, and he has a new challenger: Dan Sullivan.

Alaska Landmine: Dan Sullivan files to run against Senator Dan Sullivan (R) in the Alaska Senate race pic.twitter.com/T7FpheWv9E

— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) May 29, 2026

I mean, at least he has name recognition. And he's serious: He has a website and everything. And he wants you to know he's ready to put Alaska first.

Dan knows that for too long, our leaders have failed to put Alaska first. And he believes that when you truly care about a people and a place, you have a duty to make every sacrifice within your power to protect them.

Dan’s Alaskan by choice, having built a life in Petersburg for nearly the past 50 years. Born in the Midwest, Dan grew up in a large Catholic family as the second oldest of six children. His parents, Dan and Katherine Sullivan, instilled traditional American values, a strong work ethic, personal responsibility, and a commitment to serving others.

That foundation shaped Dan early. Sullivan began working at a young age and spent decades earning a living through blue-collar jobs and industries, including logging, construction, steel mills, teaching, bartending, and forestry. Those experiences gave him a deep respect for hard work and self-reliance and helped him appreciate how so many of our leaders are born on third base, thinking they’ve hit a home run. He’s running for U.S. Senate in part because he’s sick and tired of how many of our “leaders” are looking out for themselves rather than all of us.

Look, I don't doubt Dan Sullivan's earnestness. Either of them, really, but let's stick with this one for now. But I do think he's got a lance in hand and he's settled on a very particular windmill.

Read More: Sullivan's Warning: 'We Need More' in Alaska's Epic Military Surge

Watch: Ex-Rep Peltola Eyes Sullivan's Seat in Alaska Senate Race

Honestly, the 2026 election, ranked-choice voting and all, is almost certainly going to go to Dan Sullivan (the current senator, not the other guy) or Democrat Mary Peltola. They have the name recog... uh, they have the money, the support, and Dan Sullivan - Senator Dan Sullivan - has the considerable advantage of incumbency, in addition to the huge advantage of not being Senator Lisa Murkowski (??-AK). Even without ranked-choice voting, it's bound to be one of those two.

Still, it's good to see regular folk involved. Stirring things up a little is always worthwhile. I try to do it myself, which is why I do what I do for a living. Dan Sullivan - the upstart candidate Dan Sullivan (this is going to get really confusing really quickly) is doing it by staging his long-shot run for the Senate.

So, for now, I'll just wish Dan Sullivan the best of luck in November. Yes, that Dan Sullivan. You know which one.