Republican with same name as incumbent Dan Sullivan advances from Alaska US Senate primary

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – A candidate with the same name as Alaska's incumbent U.S.

Key points

• Sullivan, who goes by Dan Sullivan, was among the top four finishers after the Aug.
• The allegation was driven by claims raised by the senator and his GOP allies.

What happened

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – A candidate with the same name as Alaska's incumbent U.S. Senator has advanced to the general election in what will be one of the most closely watched races in the country this fall.

Dan J. Sullivan, who goes by Dan Sullivan, was among the top four finishers after the Aug. 18 primary and on Tuesday moved on to the November matchup. It is a ranked choice contest. The incumbent, Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, and Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola additionally have advanced.

Notably, the challenger Sullivan, a retired teacher from the island community of Petersburg, sued for a spot on the ballot and succeeded after a judge invalidated a decision by a top state elections official who remarked he had filed his candidacy with an intent to confuse voters. The allegation was driven by claims raised by the senator and his GOP allies. The state Supreme Court ultimately ordered Dan J. Sullivan eligible for the ballot.

The bottom line

For now, republican with same name as incumbent Dan Sullivan advances from Alaska US remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.