DOJ sues over Alaska Senate ballot with two Dan Sullivans; GOP figures weigh in
Photo: The HillThe Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Friday seeking to block Alaska's U.S. Senate election results if voter confusion over two candidates named Dan Sullivan affects the outcome. The state's ranked choice ballot lists both Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Daniel J. Sullivan, who received 2.5% of the total vote in the primaries. Sen. Sullivan is in a tight race against Democrat Mary Peltola. The lawsuit says there is a substantial likelihood that including Daniel J. Sullivan will confuse or mislead voters trying to vote for the senator and distort the will of Alaskan voters, so a certification would reflect an election that lacked integrity. Republicans have argued the similar names could cost the GOP votes. On Sunday, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said it was appropriate to take a look at the outcome. Trump has said he personally ordered the lawsuit.
Right-leaning coverage, represented here by the Washington Examiner, leads with columnist Joe Concha, who said on Fox Business's Kudlow on Friday that Democrats put up a similarly named candidate with a different middle initial to confuse voters. Its headline carries his corruption charge, and the piece adds the 2.5% primary figure, the lawsuit's wording and a link to Trump's claim that he ordered the suit. Alternative/independent coverage, from The Hill, has a different angle, leading with Tillis, a Republican senator, who said a review was appropriate, and it describes the DOJ suit as prompted by the ballot situation. It does not include Concha's accusation in the portion available. Left-leaning outlets had not reported this story at the time of writing, while alternative/independent and right-leaning outlets had, focusing on Republican voices and the DOJ action.
How the sides differ Left sources have not covered it; right sources feature a commentator alleging Democratic manipulation, while alternative sources lead with a Republican senator calling a review appropriate.
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Not covering this story. None of the left-leaning outlets Crosswire tracks has reported it yet. What one side leaves out can be as telling as what the others report.
The Hill leads with Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) saying it is appropriate to take a look at the Alaska race, and notes the DOJ lawsuit it prompted.
The Washington Examiner leads with columnist Joe Concha's accusation that Democrats fielded a similarly named candidate to confuse voters, and adds the DOJ lawsuit text, the 2.5% primary figure and Trump's claim.