President Trump on Wednesday called for Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola to drop out of the race and face criminal prosecution.
“Mary Peltola should resign from the race. I think she should be prosecuted criminally for what she did,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews ahead of his trip to Ohio to campaign for Republicans there.
The president’s demand came after the outlet report revealed that top aides to Peltola were behind an effort to recruit Daniel J. Sullivan into the Senate race to compete against incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Peltola, who had originally denied any involvement, was “definitely aware” of the scheme, according to the report.
“They said they didn’t do it, and they did do it, and they got caught,” Trump said. “And in fact, it was a plot by the Democrat Party, and frankly, they should be, I think they should be prosecuted. To me, that’s voter fraud at the highest level.”
He added that any allies who worked to recruit Daniel J. Sullivan should also face criminal charges. It remains unclear what law they could be prosecuted under, as Daniel Sullivan met the legal requirements to run for office and Alaska’s ballot system allows four candidates to advance from the primary to the general election.
Both Sullivans are on next week’s ballot alongside Peltola. Sen. Dan S. Sullivan appears with the designation “incumbent” and “Registered Republican” by name. Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. Carries no such distinction.
Peltola’s campaign had initially denied involvement in recruiting the second Sullivan candidate. The Times report upended that denial, revealing her awareness of the effort and putting her campaign on the defensive just days before voters head to the polls.
Trump made the comments at Joint Base Andrews before departing for Ohio, where he was scheduled to campaign for Republican candidates in the final stretch before next week’s midterm elections. The Alaska Senate race was already competitive, but the spoiler candidate revelation has intensified scrutiny on Peltola’s operation.
The ballot situation creates potential confusion for voters, with two men named Sullivan appearing on the same ticket. Alaska’s open primary system, which sends the top four vote-getters to the general election regardless of party, allowed both Sullivans to qualify.
Trump’s call for prosecution represents an escalation in his rhetoric against Democratic candidates in competitive races. He framed the recruitment effort as deliberate deception of voters rather than a legitimate political tactic.
The president was headed to Ohio for a final-week campaign push when he stopped to speak with reporters about the Alaska race. His intervention comes as Republicans seek to maintain their Senate seat in Alaska and build momentum heading into Election Day.