Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) committed to accepting the results of the Alaska Senate election regardless of whether he wins the race against Democratic challenger Mary Peltola. “I’m going to accept the election results,”
Page B50From§Eachthe afternoon edition — 1 November 2026
ACCEPT THE RESULTS
Tim Scott calls an unproven plot a 'criminal offense' but won't say he'll accept the vote it targets
As it ran on the front
I had this written down somewhere, hold on. Not the glovebox — I checked the glovebox first — it's in the notebook, the spiral one with the coffee ring, under October the twenty-third. "DOJ sues to block certification of Alaska Senate results if Republican incumbent loses." I wrote the date next to it in different ink, which tells me I came back to add it later, after I'd thought about what it meant.
Here's the part I underlined, and I only underlined it the once: the complaint the Justice Department filed that day doesn't name a single ballot. Not one that was miscounted, not one double-filled, not one cast for the wrong Dan Sullivan by a confused voter at a polling place in Juneau. Zero. I went down to the library to read it off the terminal because I didn't trust myself to remember it right, and I still didn't trust it after I'd read it, so I wrote the number in the margin and boxed it.…
…(cont) Four days after that, on the twenty-seventh, the vice president went on television and said reporters weren't pressing the Democrats hard enough on what he called the Alaska business. Fair enough — but what's left to press anyone on, when the filing built to prove confusion names not one ballot number?
The day after that — the twenty-eighth — Alaska's own Republican-led state government filed its own paper, asking the federal court to throw the Justice Department's lawsuit out. Not Peltola's lawyers. The state's. If Alaska's own Republican-led government is asking the court to dismiss it, who exactly did the Justice Department file it to protect?
Then on the twenty-ninth, Senator Sullivan — the man this whole case exists to protect — sent his own voters a different instruction: don't rank Mary Peltola, he said, but go ahead and rank the other Dan Sullivan, the one his campaign calls Decoy Dan, somewhere on the ballot. If the second name is confusing enough to sue over, why is the senator telling people to use it?
Back in September, a watchdog alleged the second Sullivan had illegally colluded with a liberal group. Alleged. I keep allegations in a different column from charges; they don't always end up in the same place.
Seven words. I counted them standing at the bank, waiting on the line, which is a thing I do now, apparently, count words at the bank.
You know the toll plaza on the way into town, how you don't get to pick which lane opens, you take what the gate gives you and you drive through. Sullivan says he'll take whichever lane opens. The man running the campaign committee hasn't said that about his own lane yet.
Oh — before you go, one more thing, since you're still standing there and I'm still holding this open — I never did answer my own question from before, about the filing. How many ballots did they name, in the end, in the document built to stop a certification if Tuesday doesn't go their way? Not many. Not some. Zero.
“The lawsuit only switches on if the Republican loses, so it isn't a fraud case, it's a mulligan with a Justice Department seal on it. Sullivan can promise to accept any result because the suit already made sure only one result needs accepting; his own campaign chair won't make the same promise. Watch what happens to a ballot that ranks Peltola first — that's the part the podium isn't explaining.”
“The Justice Department isn't assuming a crime occurred — they're just issuing dozens of subpoenas into one that didn't, allegedly, occur, which, hang on, that's not what I meant to say. Scott calling an unproven scheme a "criminal offense" is just a campaign chair feeling "vindicated," it's not like he's prejudging anything, he's post-judging it, which is completely different and I will not be elaborating on that distinction. As for why he won't promise to accept the results — that's Sullivan's promise to make, Scott just runs the committee that's suing to make sure he doesn't have to.”
Earlier in this story
- Trump told the Justice Department to sue to block Alaska's certification if the Republican narrowly loses; the complaint named zero ballots, and the vote is two days off. By Mort · the evening edition, 1 November 2026
The receipts
Beyond hotly contested Senate and governor’s races, Alaskans will decide Tuesday whether to scrap the state’s unique ballot. The campaign of Mary Peltola may have bolstered critics of the system.
Senator was allegedly targeted in ballot-stacking ploy by his Democratic opponent to peel away votes from him Senator Dan Sullivan, the Alaska Republican allegedly targeted in a ballot-stacking ploy by his Democratic opponent, Mary Peltola, told CNN this morning that he would accept the results of his upcoming election. According to a…
The incumbent Republican running for re-election and allies have accused the Democrats of trying to confuse voters by recruiting a second Dan Sullivan to also stand in the race.
The Trump administration has pressed a criminal investigation in to Alaska's pivotal US Senate race and said it may take its fight over postal ballots in California to the Supreme Court.
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., declined to say whether he would accept the results of the Alaska Senate race if Democrat Mary Peltola wins the battleground seat
Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said he would accept the election results of the upcoming 2026 elections, even if he lost, following a Justice Department (DOJ) lawsuit attempting to invalidate election results if his opponent, former Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), won.
Hans von Spakovsky says Jack Smith's Trump indictment set the precedent for the DOJ's criminal probe into Alaska's "Decoy Dan" Senate race scheme.
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.”
Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) has directed Republican voters supporting him in Alaska’s Senate race not to rank Democratic candidate Mary Peltola on the ranked choice ballot. Alaska voters will see all four candidates plus a write-in option on the Senate ballot.
Alaska’s Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola denied once again any involvement in the alleged ballot-stacking scheme that it was recently reported her campaign engaged in during a rally on Friday, but did not mention the ongoing investigations into the scheme “I am so deeply offended by these accusations about having any involvement…
NRSC chair Sen. Tim Scott says he feels "vindicated" after the Department of Justice reportedly issued dozens of subpoenas in Alaska's U.S. Senate race.
In its Saturday filing, Alaska said this was “both disturbing and impossible.” It added there would be no way to do that without violating voter privacy.
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.
· DoJ sues to block certification of Alaska Senate results if Republican incumbent loses from the morgue, 23 Oct 2026
· Alaska's GOP-led government asks court to block DOJ Senate race certification lawsuit from the morgue, 28 Oct 2026
· Vance dings media for not pressing Democrats on Alaska Senate race shenanigans from the morgue, 27 Oct 2026
· ‘Decoy Dan’ Sullivan illegally colluded with liberal group attacking Alaska GOP Sen. Sullivan, watchdog alleges from the morgue, 8 Sep 2026
· Murkowski snubs Trump-backed Alaska candidate, endorses Democrat for governor from the morgue, 28 Oct 2026
· DOJ sues to block Alaska Senate certification if Sullivan loses from the morgue, 24 Oct 2026
· Alaska Election Gambit Shows Justice Dept. Has Bowed to Trump’s Demands from the morgue, 24 Oct 2026
· Donald Trump challenges Alaska Senate trace from the morgue, 24 Oct 2026
· Trump administration sues to block possible Democratic win in Alaska Senate race from the morgue, 24 Oct 2026
· The controversy surrounding convicted former election official Tina Peters from the morgue, 24 Oct 2026
· Alaska Senate race featuring two Dan Sullivans is ‘blatantly corrupt’: Joe Concha from the morgue, 24 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
· Justice Dept. Demands That California Counties Help Identify Noncitizen Voters from the morgue, 24 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
· Corey Lewandowski Always Found His Way Back to Trump. Until Now. from the morgue, 23 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
· DOJ demands that California counties help identify noncitizen voters from the morgue, 24 Oct 2026
· DOJ demands that some California counties set aside alleged noncitizen ballots from the morgue, 25 Oct 2026
· California officials ordered by DoJ to set aside ‘likely’ noncitizen ballots from the morgue, 24 Oct 2026
· LA feds move to halt ballot counting over 20K suspected noncitizen voters from the morgue, 23 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
· Intel Democrats on how they'll react if Trump alleges election meddling from the morgue, 23 Oct 2026
· Trump told DOJ to sue to block Alaska Senate results if Republican narrowly loses from the morgue, 26 Oct 2026
· Trump says he personally ordered DOJ lawsuit intervening in Alaska Senate election from the morgue, 23 Oct 2026
· Ramaswamy accuses Acton of ‘lying’ about attack ad, but court records contradict mother’s claim – live from the morgue, 24 Oct 2026
· Trump-Ordered DOJ Lawsuit in Alaska Seen as First Salvo in GOP Effort to Undermine Midterm Elections from the morgue, 23 Oct 2026
· Trump on the Alaska election lawsuit: 'I'm the one that said, "do it"' from the morgue, 23 Oct 2026
· Trump administration sues to block certification of upcoming Alaska election from the morgue, 23 Oct 2026
· DOJ files lawsuit to block results in Alaska Senate race after two Dan Sullivans land on November ballot from the morgue, 23 Oct 2026
· Trump previews trip to Alaska to campaign for Dan Sullivan, ripping into the other Dan Sullivan from the morgue, 2 Sep 2026
· Trump urges Alaskans to vote for the ‘real’ Dan Sullivan in tight midterms battle from the morgue, 14 Oct 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
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.