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Alaska Senate candidate Daniel J. Sullivan owes over $21,000 in compliance and legal fees

Filings show he borrowed $10,400 from himself during the ballot fight, and the Justice Department has filed a complaint against state election officials.

Updated Oct 30, 2026 · 06:14 UTC2 reports

The short version

  • Daniel J. Sullivan, a Senate candidate in Alaska who shares a name with incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, owes more than $21,000 in compliance and legal fees, according to FEC filings.[The Washington Sun]
  • Alaska election officials disqualified him from the June open primary ballot, alleging bad faith, but the Alaska Supreme Court ruled on June 29 that he must remain on the ballot.[The Washington Sun]
  • As of Oct. 14, his campaign owed $21,399 to a Washington law firm, had borrowed $10,400 from him in June and July, and reported $1,901 in cash on hand.[The Washington Sun]
  • The Justice Department has filed a complaint against the Alaska Division of Elections, and its outcome is not yet reported; the Peltola campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee deny recruiting Daniel J. Sullivan.[CBS News · The Washington Sun]

Key facts

  • Daniel J. Sullivan owes more than $21,000 in compliance and legal fees, according to Federal Election Commission filings.[The Washington Sun]
  • The Alaska Division of Elections disqualified Daniel J. Sullivan from the June open primary ballot, alleging he was running in bad faith.[The Washington Sun]
  • The Alaska Supreme Court ruled on June 29 that Daniel J. Sullivan must remain on the ballot.[The Washington Sun]
  • As of Oct. 14, the campaign owed $21,399 to the Washington law firm Caplin & Drysdale and reported $1,901 in cash on hand.[The Washington Sun]
  • The campaign borrowed $10,400 from the candidate himself in June and July while his case was being litigated.[The Washington Sun]
  • The Department of Justice filed a complaint against the Alaska Division of Elections.[The Washington Sun]
  • Mary Peltola said she knew nothing about any other candidates on the ballot except herself and the incumbent.[CBS News]
  • Spokespeople for the Peltola campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee denied having any hand in recruiting Daniel J. Sullivan.[CBS News]

What remains uncertain

  • The debt and cash figures are as of Oct. 14 and may have changed since that filing date.[The Washington Sun]
  • The outcome of the Justice Department complaint against the Alaska Division of Elections is not yet reported.[The Washington Sun]
  • The Peltola campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee deny recruiting Daniel J. Sullivan; these are attributed denials that have not been independently verified here.[CBS News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.