Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Over Alaska Senate 'Decoy Dan' Controversy

A federal judge dismissed the Justice Department's lawsuit seeking to delay certification of Alaska's US Senate election results, rejecting claims that a second candidate named Daniel Sullivan Jr. would cause voter confusion or rig outcomes in favor of Democratic nominee Mary Peltola. The Trump-backed legal challenge was filed just days before midterms and argued that ballot ambiguity could alter the race between incumbent Republican Dan S. Sullivan and his challenger. Although Judge Sharon Gleason ruled against deferring certification, citing concerns over ballot secrecy and state election authority, a department spokesperson confirmed plans to appeal the decision at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Meanwhile, both candidates have publicly stated they will accept whatever results emerge from Tuesday's voting.