Judge dismisses Trump administration's lawsuit over two Dan Sullivans in Alaska election

A federal judge in Alaska threw out a Justice Department suit that tried to hold up certification of the state's Senate result should the Republican incumbent, Dan S Sullivan, lose. With the midterms only days off and the seat among the most closely watched, Judge Sharon Gleason concluded Washington lacks the power to make Alaska set aside and examine ballots cast in the three-way contest with Daniel J Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola, according to BBC.

The department had warned that two candidates sharing a name might confuse voters and siphon support from the senator. Gleason found the government offered no feasible method for isolating votes for Daniel J Sullivan while keeping ballots secret, a right she said Alaskans hold. She also noted that early and mail voting were already well underway, so the request came too late.

The department said it will appeal. It described the dismissal as procedural and claimed the court never contested its view that Daniel J Sullivan, whom it called "Decoy Dan," entered as a frivolous candidate. President Donald Trump has said he told the department to sue.

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