Will Alaska Decide the US Senate Elections?

Democrats in Alaska are focusing on rising heating bills and capitalizing on public anger toward the Trump administration as winter approaches.

High prices for diesel fuel and home heating oil have intensified voter frustration with President Trump and incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan; this has made the race for the Senate seat in this traditionally Republican state one of the most competitive nationwide, according to a report by "The Wall Street Journal."

Just days before Election Day, allegations emerged that Democratic candidate Mary Peltola's campaign secretly worked to promote another candidate with a similar name (Dan J. Sullivan Jr.) to split votes in favor of her party, an effort that could help Democrats win this pivotal seat in Alaska and potentially regain control of the Senate. The newspaper described this issue as the current "October surprise" in these midterm elections.

For months, Republicans expressed strong displeasure over the presence of "Dan J. Sullivan Jr."—a retired teacher—on the ballot alongside incumbent Senator Dan S. Sullivan, which could confuse voters.

Last week, Trump directed the Department of Justice to sue the state of Alaska, demanding a delay in certifying results if the incumbent senator lost by a narrow margin.

Then, a report by "The New York Times" on Wednesday revealed that members of Peltola's campaign collaborated with other parties to recruit "the other Sullivan" as a vote-splitting candidate; a strategy Peltola's campaign had consistently denied. Amid Trump's escalating attacks—demanding criminal prosecution of Peltola and "the other Sullivan" and their exclusion from the election—the state's governor, Republican Mike Dunleavy, ordered an investigation into the incident.

People familiar with the matter said the Department of Justice expanded its criminal investigation on Thursday, issuing dozens of new subpoenas for testimony before a grand jury.

In an interview conducted on Thursday, Senator Sullivan said: "There is never a dull moment in great Alaska." He added: "I think that as Alaskans understand more about what is happening, they become more repulsed by it," expecting this issue to help him gain votes from the Democratic Party. No comment was obtained from Dan J. Sullivan Jr.

Alaska—nicknamed "America's last frontier"—is already a chaotic battleground in the Senate race; both Republicans and Democrats view it as one of the few decisive states for winning control of the chamber.

Candidates and outside groups have poured more than $130 million into this race—breaking records—in a state with a population of only about 740,000 people.