Sen. Dan Sullivan's X Campaign Account Briefly Suspended Days Before Alaska Election

The campaign X account of Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska was temporarily suspended Friday night for allegedly violating the platform's rules against inauthentic accounts, days before Tuesday's election. Sullivan's campaign posted the message it received from X. Chris Olmstead, a regional political director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, accused Democratic nominee Mary Peltola and her allies of falsely reporting the account for impersonation. Peltola's campaign told KTUU News the claims were silly and unsubstantiated. The suspension came after reports that Democratic-linked operatives recruited a second candidate named Dan Sullivan, an independent, to run in the tight race. The Justice Department recently sent subpoenas to Peltola's campaign and to the second Sullivan's campaign, and federal prosecutors are examining whether the effort to put him on the ballot violates federal conspiracy law. That inquiry followed a New York Times investigation. One report said the suspension appeared to be an automated result of mass reporting.

The Washington Post, representing the left, runs a short headline and a one-line description. It says the account was suspended over concern it was fake and notes that Sullivan is defending his seat in a close race that includes independent Dan J. Sullivan. The excerpt carries no partisan accusations, subpoenas or quotes. The Daily Wire and Townhall, on the right, lead with the claim that the real Sullivan was flagged as fake. Both quote Olmstead's line about how far Peltola will go to trick Alaskans, and both include Peltola's denial. Both link the suspension to the New York Times reporting on the spoiler candidate. The Daily Wire adds the Justice Department subpoenas and the conspiracy inquiry. Townhall notes it first reported the scheme in May, says the suspension appears automated, and shows a post tagging Elon Musk. All three agree on the suspension, its timing and the two-Sullivan race. They differ in that the right attributes it to Peltola's side and frames it as a dirty trick, while the Post's excerpt does not. Alternative outlets had not reported this story at the time of writing.