The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee says lawmakers have prepared for a range of situations ahead of the midterms, including that President Trump "is not going to accept the results."
Page A224From§Eachthe afternoon edition — 28 October 2026
THE DECOY
Justice Department prepares to nullify Alaska's Senate race only if Republicans lose; Democrats spent months engineering that outcome.
As it ran on the front
I did the arithmetic at the Tesoro on Muldoon Road before I did anything else this morning: forty-six dollars and eighty cents to fill the tank, and twenty-six dollars short of what the fan belt costs at the parts store two blocks down, the one that's been singing on the turn by the post office since August. I mention the number because it sits still. Most of what came across the wire this week does not.
On October 14th, according to the Guardian, the president stood in front of Alaska voters and asked them to pick the "real" Dan Sullivan, because the ballot in November carries two candidates by that name — the sitting Republican senator, and a second filer, Dan J. Sullivan. A week later, on the 21st, the same paper had the other side of it: twenty-four Democratic attorneys general, meeting by Zoom and in what they're calling tabletop exercises, coordinating against what they describe as federal interference in the count. Then on the 24th the Justice Department went to federal court to ask a judge to block Alaska from certifying its Senate race. I have the number from that filing. It challenges zero ballots. Not one precinct, not one envelope. It only asks for the block if Senator Sullivan loses.…
…(cont) This morning the New York Times answered a question none of that explained, which is where the second Dan Sullivan came from in the first place. Operatives aligned with Mary Peltola, the Democratic nominee, spent months recruiting Dan J. Sullivan to file for the race, specifically to draw votes off the Republican column. Does it matter which came first, the recruiting or the suit? I keep turning that over and I don't think I've got it settled.
Here's what I can settle, or at least hold up to the light. I've got two ratchets on the pegboard in my garage that both take a 10 millimeter socket, because I bought the second one at the hardware store on Dowling after the first one walked off somewhere under the car, and I never did throw the old one out when it turned up again. They sit on the same nail now, close enough in the dark that I've grabbed the wrong one twice this month alone. If I sold tools instead of just fixing cars with them, and a customer came in wanting to buy the one that actually does the job, whose trouble is that supposed to be — the one reaching for the shelf, or the one who kept two on it?
That's the whole shelf, as far as I can tell. One party spent months stocking a second Dan Sullivan next to the first one. The other party is asking a court to decide, after the fact, whether the shelf was legal — but only if the senator is the one who loses.
Excuse me — before I let this go, one more thing, because it's been sitting in my pocket since the Tesoro this morning, next to the twenty-six dollars I didn't have. The Justice Department's filing has a condition built into it: it moves only if Senator Sullivan loses. Not if he wins. So whatever it is the filing is meant to protect — the count, the certification, whichever word you'd rather use — it's protecting one outcome out of two, and naming it in advance. Which outcome is that?
“Both sides are running the same card, a name on a ballot, and both of them timed it to land in the same ten days. The Justice Department isn't filing to protect an election, it's filing a backup plan that only pays out if their guy loses, and the only reason Democrats needed their own Dan Sullivan is because they know the courtroom, not the voters, might end up deciding this. Ten days out, and the thing picking your senator could be whichever trick finishes first.”
“Look, the Justice Department isn't "nullifying" anything, it's making sure Alaska's certification process is airtight, and you'd want that whether your guy wins or loses. We only asked the court to act if Senator Sullivan loses, which, I'll grant, is a strange thing to specify in advance if you actually believe the process is airtight regardless. Did I say that? Scratch that, next question.”
Earlier in this story
- DOJ sues to void an election only the Republican could lose, nine days before Alaska votes By Lou · the evening edition, 26 October 2026
- Attorney general calls three hosts misleading, crazy, and not a real question; the one from Trump remains unanswered. By Lou · the evening edition, 25 October 2026
- Attorney general declares Alaska's Senate race unfair; ballots challenged: zero, with nine days until the vote By Sterling · the afternoon edition, 25 October 2026
- Justice Department asks a court to block Alaska's Senate certification only if the Republican loses, challenging zero ballots By Sterling · the evening edition, 25 October 2026
The receipts
Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha slammed Democrats in Alaska over voter corruption, saying they “put up a guy named Dan Sullivan” with a different middle name to “confuse” voters.
The DOJ disbanded its crypto enforcement team in April 2025 and ordered inconsistent investigations closed, while the president's family runs a crypto business CNBC, 8 April 2025 (Blanche memo)
Alaska Election Gambit Shows Justice Dept. Has Bowed to Trump’s DemandsWith moves in Alaska and California, the department has stepped up interventions in the midterm elections as the president’s instrument of unmediated executive power.
This live blog is now closed. Sign up for the Breaking News US email With less than two weeks until the midterms, my colleague Jonathan Freedland and Guardian US columnist Moira Donegan are answering your questions in this week’s episode of Politics Weekly America. They break down the final stretch ahead of these hugely consequential…
The justice department has filed a lawsuit arguing that the inclusion of two candidates named Dan Sullivan could confuse voters.
The Trump administration is suing to prevent the Alaska Senate election from being certified if GOP Sen. Daniel Sullivan loses to Democrat Mary Peltola because of the other Dan Sullivan who is on the ballot.
Operatives aligned with Mary Peltola, the Democratic nominee for Senate, spent months recruiting candidates to peel votes from Senator Dan Sullivan, the Republican.
The Justice Department has opened an inquiry into Mr. Lewandowski. President Trump has not jumped to his defense.
The DOJ disbanded its crypto enforcement team in April 2025 and ordered inconsistent investigations closed — while the president's family runs a crypto business. CNBC, 8 April 2025 (Blanche memo)
Justice Dept. Demands That California Counties Help Identify Noncitizen VotersElection officials across the state received letters from the agency saying if they fail to comply, they “risk significant federal scrutiny.”
On the same day that Attorney General Todd Blanche declared the US Department of Justice would not "improperly" try to block states from certifying their elections, the DOJ appears to have taken its boldest step yet to do just that—at the apparent direction of President Donald Trump. The DOJ on Thursday filed an unprecedented complaint…
Trump justice department claims there could be ‘confusion’ about two Republicans on the ballot named Dan Sullivan Donald Trump said he ordered the justice department to file a lawsuit to block the certification of Alaska’s US Senate results if the Republican incumbent loses, a move that voting rights experts called an “unprecedented…
Republicans' reconciliation package puts $70 billion into ICE's department NBC News, May 2026
Courts Reject Trump’s Attempt at Deploying ICE to Intimidate VotersA judge ordered Homeland Security to stop sending agents door to door in nine key states to hunt for “voter fraud.”
President Trump has gone to extraordinary lengths for Tina Peters, a former Colorado election official convicted for helping to breach the very voting system she swore to protect. Peters served less than two years in prison for crimes related to breaching voting system security. She maintains she was trying to show flaws in the system.
The move by the Justice Department to try and preemptively block Alaska’s Senate results if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses stunned officials in both parties.
President Trump said Friday he directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file a lawsuit to block certification of the Senate election in Alaska if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses in November. DOJ filed the suit Thursday, claiming the existence of a candidate with a similar name to Sullivan's would make a win by Democrat...
In special elections, Democrats have retained 10 points more of their previous turnout than Republicans Ballotpedia, 26 February 2026
Donald Trump challenges Alaska Senate traceWith the US midterm elections less than two weeks away, concerns are growing over whether President Donald Trump would accept a major Republican defeat. Trump has called for legal action to block the certification of Alaska’s Senate race if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan loses to his Democratic challenger, Mary Peltola, arguing that…
The Department of Justice is warning local election officials in California to cooperate with the administration to identify noncitizens on a list of registered voters or face potential legal action, according to a letter obtained by NBC News.
The Justice Department on Friday filed a lawsuit to block the results of Alaska’s highly competitive Senate race in November should it be impacted by “voter confusion.” Republicans have said they are worried about the race, which features Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Democrat Mary Peltola as the primary contenders, because of the…
“Every minute that goes by, American citizen votes are being diluted in the state of California,” Essayli said Thursday.
President Trump says he directed the DOJ to preemptively file a lawsuit to block the certification of the Alaska Senate race if the Republican incumbent narrowly loses.
President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that he directed the Department of Justice to file a lawsuit challenging the results of Alaska’s Senate race if it’s impacted by “voter confusion.” Incumbent Sen. Dan S.
The DOJ disbanded its crypto enforcement team in April 2025 and ordered inconsistent investigations closed — while the president's family runs a crypto business. CNBC, 8 April 2025 (Blanche memo)
DOJ demands that some California counties set aside alleged noncitizen ballotsFederal prosecutors sent letters to county registrars across California demanding that local officials set aside and verify ballots that the Justice Department said may belong to noncitizens.
Letters from federal prosecutors represent latest escalation as Trump continues to make claims of voter fraud Federal prosecutors sent letters to county registrars across California on Friday demanding that local officials set aside and verify ballots that the Department of Justice said may belong to noncitizens, according to the Los…
Democrats are running an average of 11.5 points ahead of their 2024 baseline across 2026 special elections MultiState Elections, 2026 special-election tracking
Trump administration sues to block possible Democratic win in Alaska Senate raceUS President Donald Trump said Friday that he had instructed his administration to file a lawsuit to block the certification of the US Senate race in Alaska if Republican Senator Dan Sullivan loses, arguing that voters would be confused because two Republicans on the ballot have similar names. The legal battle is ramping up questions…
· Trump urges Alaskans to vote for the ‘real’ Dan Sullivan in tight midterms battle from the morgue, 14 Oct 2026
· State attorneys general step up plans to counter Trump’s meddling in midterms from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Trump officials abandon effort to investigate election threats, experts warn from the morgue, 1 Oct 2026
· Tina Peters turns down job with California county's registrar of voters from the morgue, 1 Sep 2026
· Election deniers stoke Trump-driven ballot security fears before midterms from the morgue, 6 Oct 2026
· Sabato’s Crystal Ball shifts Alaska and South Carolina Senate races in favor of Democrats from the morgue, 6 Oct 2026
· Appeals Court Rejects 'Likely Unlawful' Trump Push to Undermine Mail-In Voting as Supreme Court Looms from the morgue, 10 Sep 2026
· US justice department sues California over alleged noncitizen voting from the morgue, 15 Oct 2026
· Trump knocks Alaska voting system: 'How stupid are we to do this?' from the morgue, 9 Oct 2026
· Trump announces $6.6bn defense shipyard owned by top Republican donor’s firm from the morgue, 6 Oct 2026
· Companies Backed by Trump Sons Have Scored Over $6 Billion in Pentagon Contracts: Analysis from the morgue, 7 Oct 2026
· Trump 'Laying the Groundwork for Election Meddling' With DHS Hunt for Noncitizen Voters from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· California has no real safeguards for voting and voter registration from the morgue, 21 Oct 2026
· Federal efforts over alleged noncitizen voting escalate with California arrests from the morgue, 20 Oct 2026
· Federal voter fraud arrests intensify in California days after DOJ warning from the morgue, 19 Oct 2026
· Trump DOJ issues stark warning to California ballot counters after suing state over 20K suspected noncitizen voters from the morgue, 17 Oct 2026
· Trump previews trip to Alaska to campaign for Dan Sullivan, ripping into the other Dan Sullivan from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Sullivan trails Peltola in Alaska Senate contest: AARP poll from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Trump vows to probe other Dan Sullivan in alleged Dem plot to sabotage ‘real’ Alaska GOP senator from the morgue, 14 Oct 2026
· Trump administration sued over plans to send election monitors to voting sites from the morgue, 7 Oct 2026
· AGs v. Trump: How an AWOL Congress made hundreds of lawsuits possible from the morgue, 16 Oct 2026
· The Electoral College meets in the state capitals to officially elect the next President. Joe Biden, the presumptive president-elect, is officially elected president after securing California's 55 ele from the morgue, 14 Dec 2020
· US federal agents raid home of Democratic congresswoman and Trump critic Ilhan Omar from the morgue, 12 Oct 2026
· Ilhan Omar’s Home Raided by DHS Following Trump-GOP Deportation Threats from the morgue, 12 Oct 2026
· Federal Agents Search Home of Rep. Ilhan Omar from the morgue, 13 Oct 2026
· Rep. Ilhan Omar’s residence searched as part of ongoing criminal investigation: DOJ from the morgue, 13 Oct 2026
· Rep. Ilhan Omar's D.C. home searched by Homeland Security investigators from the morgue, 12 Oct 2026
· Rep. Ilhan Omar’s DC home raided by DHS as part of probe into Dem’s immigration paperwork from the morgue, 12 Oct 2026
· Homan confirms 'criminal' investigation involving Ilhan Omar, says he knows 'things are going on’ from the morgue, 13 Sep 2026
· WATCH: Ilhan Omar denies feds have contacted her after border czar Homan confirms 'criminal' investigation from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Could Trump revoke Ilhan Omar's citizenship for alleged brother marriage? Ex federal prosecutor breaks it down from the morgue, 29 Sep 2026
· Did Ilhan Omar marry her own brother? The claims explained from the morgue, 22 Sep 2026
· Russia’s Lavrov blasts US, Western allies as “warmongers’ in fiery UN tirade from the morgue, 26 Sep 2026
· Russia and China unite against US over Iran and Cuba in UN speeches from the morgue, 26 Sep 2026
· U.S. military lays groundwork for potential action around Cuba from the morgue, 26 Sep 2026
· The United Nations Security Council has resoundingly rejected a United States bid to extend a global arms embargo on Iran. In a Security Council vote, United States only got support from the Dominican from the morgue, 14 Aug 2020
· U.S. Threatens New Economic War on Iran by Targeting China & Tehran's Other Top Trading Partners from the morgue, 25 Aug 2026
· In Defiant UN Speech, Iranian President Says US and Israel Are the Real Terrorists from the morgue, 23 Sep 2026
· Trump slams reporting on removal of his endorsements from GOP candidate's website from the morgue, 27 Sep 2026
· Donalds removes several Trump mentions from campaign website from the morgue, 22 Sep 2026
· GOP hopeful removes ‘Pro-Trump’ mention from campaign slogan in deep-red seat from the morgue, 23 Sep 2026
· Where Trump’s 2026 endorsement record stands after primary season from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· U.N. experts say U.S. may have committed war crimes with 2 Iran strikes from the morgue, 22 Sep 2026
· Trump Says 'Big Decision' Coming on Whether to 'Annihilate' Iran from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Pentagon No. 3 frustrates senators in closed-door briefing on Iran war, Trump defense strategy from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Senate Democrats, minus Fetterman, urge Hegseth to provide receipt for Iran war costs from the morgue, 17 Sep 2026
· Hegseth on "devastation" to Iran's capabilities from the morgue, 10 Sep 2026
· Trump admits Iran war will not end before midterms from the morgue, 9 Sep 2026
· Iran War Trump Said Would Be Quick Has Now Lasted 6 Months With 'No End In Sight' from the morgue, 28 Aug 2026
· CBO Finds Trump's Iran War Has Already Cost Nearly $40 Billion—And That's a 'Conservative' Estimate from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Tillis supports Hegseth impeachment resolution: 'He needs to go' from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie Files Impeachment Articles Against Hegseth for Illegal Iran War, Boat Murders from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Massie launches effort to impeach Hegseth from the morgue, 15 Sep 2026
· Tillis urges Trump to fire Hegseth over 'inept management' of military from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Tillis renews calls for Hegseth’s firing after Driscoll’s departure: ‘I have never witnessed more inept management’ from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Farmer who voted for Trump says farmers are "all just in survival mode" from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Farmer who voted for Trump says "I can't stay in business" amid rising costs from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
· Massie says he’s convinced enough Republicans to pass Epstein Files II discharge petition from the morgue, 18 Sep 2026
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front. The byline is a pen name for a column drafted by a machine and checked by the editor: how this is made.