Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan Calls Namesake Challenger Plot

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska has accused Democrats of orchestrating a "dirty political trick" by recruiting a challenger who shares his name to run against him in the state's upcoming Republican primary. The incumbent senator, who is seeking a third term, made the allegations to reporters in Washington, D.C., and threatened legal action.

The challenger, Dan J. Sullivan of Petersburg, was certified by state election officials as one of 15 candidates in the race. The incumbent senator, Dan S. Sullivan, asserted that the appearance of another Republican named Dan Sullivan on the August primary ballot is a coordinated attempt to sow confusion among his supporters and aid his chief rival, former Democratic U.S. Representative Mary Peltola. He called it a scandalous attempt to trick Alaskans.

A spokesman for the Peltola campaign, Harry Child, said the campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan candidate. Jenny-Marie Stryker, executive director of the Alaska Democratic Party, also said her organization is not affiliated with either man.

The situation has drawn formal concern from national and state Republicans. An attorney for the National Republican Senatorial Committee...