WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Justice Department is intensifying its investigation into the recruitment of a candidate with a name similar to that of Republican Dan Sullivan in Alaska, sending letters to about 20 Democrats informing them they might be targets, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
"Sending such a notification at the decisive moment in a close race between the incumbent Republican, Dan Sullivan, and his Democratic opponent, Mary Peltola, is highly unusual," the report said.
The intended recipients of the letters include Marc Elias, a prominent elections lawyer whose firm has represented Peltola and other Democratic candidates, and at least one official at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, according to the report.
The Justice Department's latest move came on Election Day, as Democrats sought to wrest control of Congress from Republicans in the midterm elections. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the Senate's 100 seats are up for grabs.
Many observers expect the House to flip to Democratic control. The Senate race, however, remains more competitive and uncertain. Alaska is one of the seven states that have emerged as particularly competitive battlegrounds. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to secure a 51-seat majority in the Senate.
According to a recent report by The New York Times, the campaign team of Mary Peltola, the Democratic Senate candidate in Alaska, allegedly began looking as early as the summer of 2025 for a candidate with a name similar to that of incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan. The team eventually identified Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired teacher, in what was reportedly an effort to split the Republican vote and influence the election outcome.
The revelations sparked widespread criticism. Peltola and her campaign team denied any involvement in the alleged arrangement, while Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy announced that an investigation would be launched. Trump responded to the report on Truth Social on Oct. 28, claiming "election fraud" and that "the Democrats cheated."
Democrats, meanwhile, have accused the administration of weaponizing the Justice Department for political purposes, saying that recruiting candidates is a common tactic in campaigns and is not explicitly prohibited under state law. ■
