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Peltola's Campaign Linked to 'Decoy Dan' Scheme
Confirmed
In Short: Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola's campaign is embroiled in controversy after a New York Times investigation revealed a covert effort to recruit candidates named Dan to dilute support for Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.
Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola's campaign is embroiled in controversy after a New York Times investigation revealed a covert effort to recruit candidates named Dan to dilute support for Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.
The scheme, internally called the 'ballot composition project,' aimed to recruit potential candidates who could draw votes away from the incumbent, including another Alaska resident named Dan Sullivan.
Peltola's campaign manager, Cheryl Bruce, stated that the candidate and her family suffered minor injuries in a car crash while traveling to a campaign event, delaying her 'Alaska Always Tour.'
The crash occurred when another vehicle collided with Peltola's, causing her to require medical attention and prompting her to reschedule events for Sunday and Monday.
Despite the accident, Peltola's campaign announced she would resume events on Tuesday, starting with a stop in Homer, Alaska.
The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit seeking to block the certification of the Alaska Senate race if Peltola were to win, citing federal law that requires states to protect the integrity of federal elections.
Nate Adams, a spokesperson for Sen. Sullivan's campaign, emphasized, 'Alaskans deserve the truth,' highlighting the significance of the allegations.
Anchorage Police Department officials stated there is no evidence that Peltola was deliberately targeted in the car accident, with Gina Romero, director of the department’s community relations unit, saying, 'There is nothing new to share and at this time, there are no indications that this was a targeted attack.'
Elisa Rios, Peltola's former campaign manager, admitted to the Times that Peltola was 'definitely aware' of the plot to recruit a 'Decoy Dan,' suggesting a disgruntled former employee's involvement.
What this adds
The New York Times investigation adds new details to the controversy surrounding Alaska's Senate race, revealing direct coordination between Peltola's campaign and the recruitment of 'Decoy Dan.'
While the Times investigation provides new insights, it remains unclear whether the recruitment of 'Decoy Dan' was a coordinated effort between Peltola's campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
What's confirmed
- Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola's campaign is embroiled in controversy after a New York Times investigation revealed a covert effort to recruit candidates named Dan to dilute support for Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.
- The scheme, internally called the 'ballot composition project,' aimed to recruit potential candidates who could draw votes away from the incumbent, including another Alaska resident named Dan Sullivan.
- The crash occurred when another vehicle collided with Peltola's, causing her to require medical attention and prompting her to reschedule events for Sunday and Monday.
- Despite the accident, Peltola's campaign announced she would resume events on Tuesday, starting with a stop in Homer, Alaska.
- The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit seeking to block the certification of the Alaska Senate race if Peltola were to win, citing federal law that requires states to protect the integrity of federal elections.
- Nate Adams, a spokesperson for Sen. Sullivan's campaign, emphasized, 'Alaskans deserve the truth,' highlighting the significance of the allegations.
- Elisa Rios, Peltola's former campaign manager, admitted to the Times that Peltola was 'definitely aware' of the plot to recruit a 'Decoy Dan,' suggesting a disgruntled former employee's involvement.
What's still developing
- Peltola, an Alaska Native and former congresswoman, is challenging Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, hoping to become the first Democrat in nearly two decades to represent the state in the Senate.
- The incident delayed what her campaign announced as the “Alaska Always Tour,” an eight-stop push through the last week before Election Day.
- “It has just been determined that the Democrats in Alaska illegally searched for, and recruited, a man named Dan Sullivan to run against our distinguished Republican Senator, Dan Sullivan, in order to defraud, confuse, and obfuscate the Election, thereby taking votes away from the REAL Senator, Dan Sullivan,” Trump wrote on Wednesday.
- Pulling COVID-19 vaccines off the market, decreasing medications for children, cleaning up water, and putting fresh food in schools are all “pro-life issues,” according to Iowa Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn.
- “She went from a perfectly healthy 93-year-old to dead within two weeks,” Mitchell said.
- “California and its people are sovereign, too,” Carter wrote, warning that the administration’s proposed intervention threatened state authority over elections.
- Its Aug. 18 article noted that direct coordination with Peltola’s campaign had not been publicly established at that time.
- The intention seemed obvious: The false Sullivan is trying to siphon off some votes from the real Sullivan in hopes of benefiting the actual challenger, Democratic candidate Mary Peltola.