AG Todd Blanche says DOJ is “doing our own research under the law” with Alaska Senate challenge

October 25, 2026 / 1:38 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that the Justice Department was looking to "put guardrails in place" with its move to prevent the Alaska Senate election from being certified if there is evidence that voters were confused by a second Dan Sullivan on the ballot.

"This is the Department of Justice doing our own research under the law," Blanche said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit last week to preemptively challenge the certification of Alaska's Senate race if the Republican incumbent, Sen. Dan Sullivan, loses. Sullivan is facing off against Democratic candidate Mary Peltola in next week's election, in a race that has appeared closer than initially expected in a state that President Trump won in 2024 by double digits. But the state has a top-four primary and ranked-choice voting election system, with another candidate adding a wrinkle to the race.

Daniel J. Sullivan, a former teacher who shares the same first and last name with the sitting senator, announced in June that he was entering the race, prompting a push by the incumbent senator to remove him from the ballot.

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/