Judge Throws Out Justice Department Lawsuit That Sought to Block Certification of Alaska's Senate Race
A federal judge in Juneau dismissed the suit, which had asked for an investigation into votes cast for a little-known candidate who shares Senator Dan Sullivan's name — two days before a ranked-choice election that could help decide control of the Senate.
A federal judge has dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit that sought to block certification of Alaska's U.S. Senate race if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan loses, the Associated Press reported in its Sunday news summary. The race is among the country's most closely watched and is among a handful expected to determine control of the chamber on Tuesday.
Sullivan's main challenger in Tuesday's ranked-choice general election is Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola. The race also includes two other candidates who have done almost no campaigning, one of whom shares the incumbent's last name. The Justice Department's lawsuit called for an investigation into whether votes cast for the other Sullivan were intended for the senator.
Attorneys for the state of Alaska and for Peltola argued that the lawsuit lacked any legal basis, and the judge's dismissal removes the federal challenge from the board two days before voters decide the race. The ruling leaves certification to Alaska's normal ranked-choice process once the ballots are counted.
