Democrats sought 'ballot composition' plan to recruit rival Dan Sullivan in Alaska race

Democratic campaign staff worked to recruit a second candidate named Dan Sullivan to challenge the Republican incumbent in Alaska, according to a New York Times investigation published on Wednesday. The report describes an internal strategy labeled the ballot composition project, which aimed to exploit Alaska's specific election rules to draw votes away from Senator Dan S. Sullivan. The findings surface just days after the Trump administration filed a federal suit to block the state from certifying results if the similar names cause confusion.

The operation began in the summer of 2025 when a staffer for Senator Mary Peltola was tasked with searching voter records for individuals sharing the incumbent's name. That search identified Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from Petersburg, a small fishing town in southeastern Alaska. He entered the race in May and has stated he ran as an independent. Both Peltola's campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee denied that they recruited him. The Alaskans for Mary campaign told the paper it had no involvement with either Sullivan and did not recruit candidates.

The investigation points to Jerid Kurtz, an Ohio-based operative, as a central figure in the recruitment drive. Former campaign manager Elisa Rios said DSCC officials introduced Kurtz to senior aides in 2025. Rios, who was let go in August, told the Times that Peltola was not directly involved but was definitely aware of the plan. Kurtz traveled across Alaska using the name Zane while approaching potential candidates in bars, restaurants, and private meetings. One prospective candidate, Matthew Salisbury of Anchorage, identified Kurtz as the man who encouraged him to run and offered financial support through outside spending.

Kurtz also allegedly tried to recruit Gerald Heikes, a Republican drywall contractor who made the November ballot. Heikes said a man from the Midwest encouraged him to run and promised support, though he did not name Kurtz. Federal Election Commission records show a pro-Peltola super PAC paid about $87,000 to Wingspan Strategies, a firm co-owned by Kurtz. The PAC denied paying Kurtz personally for services, and Kurtz did not respond to requests for comment.

Text messages reviewed by the paper show senior aides and DSCC officials discussed the strategy for months. Anton McParland, Peltola's former chief of staff, and Andrew Piatt, the DSCC's director of campaigns, were part of those conversations. In January, McParland suggested creating a new right-wing political party to attract conservative voters. He wrote, Imagine if there was a MAGA party! Piatt replied, Smart. Let's see. The idea was dropped in May. The group also worked to persuade Democrat David Leslie to withdraw after the August primary, a move that allowed Heikes to take the fourth spot on the ballot.

Rios provided extensive interviews over two months but later tried to withdraw her statements before publication. She contacted reporters to say she no longer wanted to be a source. The paper said its reporting was backed by other interviews and documentary evidence, including texts and records. Rios had considered a wrongful termination lawsuit but did not file one. Political consultant Jim Lottsfeldt discussed supporting long-shot candidates at a dinner with staff but denied knowing about the operation.

The Justice Department's lawsuit argues that the presence of two candidates named Sullivan could mislead voters. The Republican incumbent appears on the ballot as Dan S. Sullivan, identified as the incumbent and a registered Republican. His namesake appears as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. without a party affiliation. The Alaska Supreme Court ruled in June that the second Sullivan could stay on the ballot. Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, where voters rank candidates by preference. Election law experts have questioned the federal government's basis for challenging certification over potential voter confusion.