A judge ruled on June 28, 2026, that a Republican candidate sharing the name with U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan is eligible to run in the upcoming primary election in Alaska. Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews overturned a decision by Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher, who had disqualified the candidate, Dan J. Sullivan, earlier in the month. Matthews stated that Beecher did not adhere to the Constitution, Alaska law, or the division's regulations in her decision. Beecher had claimed that Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher who recently changed his party affiliation to Republican, did not launch his campaign 'in good faith' and aimed to mislead voters.
Senator Dan Sullivan is seeking a third term, and Democrats are backing former Representative Mary Peltola in hopes of unseating him in the November election. The Division of Elections announced plans to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court, with a deadline for a final decision set for the following Tuesday to ensure timely printing of ballots for the August 18 primary. The incumbent senator has suggested that Dan J. Sullivan is a 'Democrat plant' trying to confuse voters. The situation is significant due to Alaska's ranked-choice voting system, which allows for multiple candidates to advance to the general election based on voter preferences.