Trump: Peltola should be removed from ballot following New York Times report

President Trump on Wednesday said former Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) should not be allowed to run for Senate against incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) following a report that her campaign sought to recruit other candidates, including Daniel J. Sullivan, in an effort to impact the election results.

“In Alaska, I don’t think Mary Peltola, after perpetrating such a terrible scheme, should be allowed to run, because this is ELECTION FRAUD,” Trump wrote in a post on TruthSocial.

“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 continued.

Trump also called on Peltola and Daniel J. Sullivan to be prosecuted while speaking with reporters on Wednesday.

“I think the fake Dan Sullivan and Mary Peltola, number one they should be taken off the ballot, and number two they should be prosecuted,” the president said.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Peltola campaign aides, the campaign’s lawyers and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) staffers were involved in pushing other candidates.

Peltola’s campaign and the DSCC have denied being involved with the effort.

“The Alaskans for Mary campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign. Like Mary, our campaign is focused on lowering costs and fixing the rigged system in DC. and did not recruit any candidates into the race,” the Peltola campaign said in a statement.

Despite Trump’s comments, the alleged tactics are not illegal. The New York Times noted they are considered common in politics and have been deployed by Republican and Democratic campaigns.

The development comes after the Justice Department filed a lawsuit to block the state’s Senate contest’s results from being certified if the incumbent loses, citing the two Sullivans on the ballot.

The Peltola campaign has asked the judge to dismiss that case, prompting the judge to expedite the litigation.

Alaska is one of the most contested Senate races this cycle. Trump and Vice President Vance have traveled to the state to campaign with the incumbent senator, and the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up.