Alaska finalizes Senate race for November: 3 Republicans, including 2 named Dan Sullivan, and 1 Democrat

The Alaska Division of Elections on Tuesday named the four Senate candidates who will be on the ballot this fall in a closely watched race that will be decided by ranked-choice voting. Voters will make their selections among two Republicans named Dan Sullivan, another named Gerald Heikes, and Democrat Mary Peltola, who finished first during the all-party primary in which the top four advance to the general election. Democrat David Leslie had finished fourth, but he withdrew from the race Monday. His withdrawal means fifth-place candidate Gerald Heikes, a Republican, will appear on the ballot. The race is considered one of the most competitive in the 2026 cycle, and a potential pickup for Democrats, who are hoping to gain control of the Senate. It’s made headlines due to the novelty of having two candidates with the same first and last name. Dan J. Sullivan, a former schoolteacher who came in third in the primary, is seeking to unseat Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. But his candidacy has faced legal challenges from the senator and other Republicans who allege he is working with Peltola, a former congresswoman, and entered the race as a potential spoiler. He and Peltola have denied any coordination with each other, as have their campaigns. Although the Alaska Supreme Court allowed Sullivan to stay on the ballot after originally being disqualified by the Division of Elections, state and federal authorities are conducting their own investigation into his campaign. The Division of Elections on Tuesday also named general election candidates for the governor’s contest, including Republicans Dave Bronson and Bernadette Wilson and Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, the top finisher in the primary. They are running to replace term-limited GOP Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Tom Begich, a Democrat who had finished second in the primary, withdrew from the race before Tuesday.