Another little-known candidate in the Alaska Senate race points toward secretive effort to hurt Republicans

Millions of dollars are flowing from newly formed political action committees tied to Wisconsin consultant Thomas Datwyler into Senate contests in Alaska and Ohio, CNN reports. The money targets Republican incumbents from the right while boosting obscure conservative challengers, in two races that could decide which party controls the chamber. Who is paying remains unknown.

In Alaska, two Datwyler-linked committees have put more than $3. 75 million behind attacking Sen. Dan Sullivan and promoting drywall contractor Gerald "Jerry" Heikes since mid-October. Heikes told the New York Times that a man he could not name recruited him to run. This unfolds as the Justice Department examines whether Democrats placed a different candidate, schoolteacher Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. , on the ballot to confuse voters. Donald Trump and other Republicans blame Mary Peltola's campaign, which she denies knowing about. In Ohio, another Datwyler-tied committee spent over $3. 8 million against Sen. Jon Husted while backing libertarian William Redpath, who says he never met Datwyler.

Because spending began in the last two weeks, donors need not be disclosed until after Election Day. An earlier Datwyler-affiliated committee spent more than $2.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CNN’s reporting. Read the full story at CNN →