House GOP launches probe into Peltola campaign ballot stacking allegations

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) launched an investigation Thursday into allegations that Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign sought to recruit candidates to peel votes away from incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) in the state’s Senate race.

A New York Times report found that Peltola’s campaign worked with national Democrats to recruit someone with the same name as her GOP opponent to run for the Senate and dilute the GOP vote. Peltola’s campaign and national Democrats denied any involvement.

But Comer argued in a statement that “Democrats are the party of fraud. Knowing they can’t win on the issues, Democrats schemed to rig the U.S. Senate election in Alaska by deliberately confusing voters. This is part of a broader pattern of misconduct by today’s Democrat Party.”

“Americans deserve answers about this latest attempt by Democrats to defraud the American people, and we will get them,” Comer added.

Comer sent letters to both Elisa Rios, Peltola’s former campaign manager, and Jerid Kurtz, a Democratic operative that the Times reported was also involved in the alleged operation, requesting in-person, transcribed interviews.

He requested that Rios testify on Nov. 5 and Kurtz on Nov. 6.

Ballot “stacking” is a common practice , especially in Alaska’s unusual nonpartisan, top four voting system. GOP strategists previously told The Hill that it is not illegal.

President Trump, meanwhile, wrote Wednesday on Truth Social that he doesn’t think Peltola should be allowed to run following The New York Times report.

“The Democrats cheated! They found a man named Dan Sullivan, put him on the Ballot, then lied to the Court, and said they didn’t know anything about it. That’s perjury. She shouldn’t be allowed to run, and neither should the FAKE Dan Sullivan!” he wrote.

Helen Huiskes contributed to this report.