Dan Sullivan releases first ad since Mary Peltola ‘Decoy Dan’ report

Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) released an advertisement with clipped points from a bombshell New York Times report alleging Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign recruited spoiler candidates with the incumbent’s name.The minute-long ad opens with a clip of Peltola saying, “I think that Alaskans have had it up to here with the lying and the dishonesty,” with text about her campaign’s reported recruitment of spoiler candidates.“The New York Times published a bombshell investigation alleging a secret Democratic effort to stack Alaska’s ballot, including recruiting candidates named Dan Sullivan,” the ad reads. The ad points to allegations in the story, including from Peltola’s former campaign manager, Elisa Rios, saying the Democratic Senate candidate was aware of the initiative but did not participate directly, and that a former campaign staffer was directed to “find as many people named Dan Sullivan as you can.”Alaska’s ranked choice Senate ballot has four choices: incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, Peltola, Republican Gerald Heikes, and former forest service employee Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., who is listed on the ballot without a party. The incumbent senator is listed as “Sullivan, Dan S. (Registered Republican) Incumbent.”In a statement to the Washington Examiner on Wednesday, Peltola’s campaign denied involvement in Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.’s decision to run.“The Alaskans for Mary campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign. Like Mary, our campaign is focused on lowering costs and fixing the rigged system in DC,” a campaign spokesperson said.Peltola called the New York Times report “just another distraction” on Thursday.MARY PELTOLA AND ‘DECOY DAN’ SULLIVAN FACE COLLUSION ACCUSATIONS AS DOJ INVESTIGATES ALASKA SENATE CAMPAIGNDaniel J. Sullivan Jr. had registered as a Republican in the state’s Senate race and was initially removed from the ballot by the state’s Division of Elections. After the Alaska Supreme Court restored his spot on the ballot, his party affiliation was changed to nonpartisan, as recommended by the division.The Justice Department launched an investigation into the ballot situation regarding the candidate Republicans have dubbed “Decoy Dan.”