Democrats, voting-rights groups challenge Trump's bid to block Alaska Senate certification

Livestream Menu Democratic groups and voting-rights advocates are seeking to join a federal lawsuit to stop the Justice Department's effort to prevent Alaska from certifying its U. Senate election results if Republican Sen. The requests come from Alaskans for Mary, the campaign for Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola, the Democratic Party's Senate campaign committee, and a separate group including the League of Women Voters of Alaska, Common Cause, and two individual voters. Together, the groups argue that the federal executive branch lacks legal authority to intervene in state-run elections and is attempting an unprecedented override of state election administration with early voting already underway. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) (L), and Rep. Democratic groups and voting-rights advocates are seeking to join a federal lawsuit to stop the Justice Department's effort to prevent Alaska from certifying its U. Senate election results if Republican Sen. The requests come from Alaskans for Mary, the campaign for Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola, the Democratic Party's Senate campaign committee, and a separate group including the League of Women Voters of Alaska, Common Cause and two individual voters. Together, the groups argue that the executive branch lacks legal authority to intervene in state-run elections and is attempting an unprecedented override of state election administration with early voting already underway. In court filings submitted Friday, the groups contend that the litigation — which President Donald Trump confirmed he personally ordered — seeks an extraordinary remedy: an investigation into whether voters who selected another candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan actually intended to vote for the incumbent senator. Trump told reporters on Friday that he directed the Justice Department to file the lawsuit: "I'm the one that said 'do it.'" The move drew swift bipartisan backlash, including from Alaska's Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who said on social media, "The Department of Justice should never have filed this lawsuit." The legal battle centers on Daniel J. Sullivan, a non-incumbent challenger sharing a near-identical name with incumbent GOP Senator Daniel S. Alaska election officials initially removed the challenger from the ballot after a complaint from the state Republican Party, but state courts ordered his inclusion on the ballot. In June, the Alaska Supreme Court affirmed that decision and directed election officials to clearly distinguish the two men. The ballot now lists Sen. Sullivan as the "incumbent" and Republican, while the other Sullivan has no party registration. The Justice Department filed its lawsuit on Oct. 22, seeking an order to prevent Alaska from certifying the Senate election if the incumbent loses.