A judge in Anchorage ruled Friday that two candidates named Dan Sullivan can both appear on Alaska’s primary ballot for the U.S. Senate race, allowing retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan to run alongside incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. This decision reverses a previous state ruling that had disqualified the retired teacher from the contest.

Both Sullivans are running as Republicans for the Senate seat, which is considered crucial to control of the chamber in the November general election. The presence of two candidates with identical names and party affiliation raised concerns within the Republican Party. Party officials accused Dan J. Sullivan of entering the race to deliberately confuse voters and potentially help Democrat Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman who is also seeking the Senate seat.

Republicans highlighted a number of factors fueling those suspicions, including the similarity of Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign materials to those of the incumbent, his recent registration as a Republican concurrent with launching his campaign, and his association with a consultant who previously supported Peltola. Due to these concerns, Alaska’s Division of Elections had previously determined that Dan J. Sullivan was not acting in “good faith” and removed him from the ballot.

However, Superior Court Judge Thomas A. Matthews rejected this rationale in his ruling. He noted that the state’s constitutional and statutory provisions do not include a “good faith” requirement when determining candidate eligibility. Matthews emphasized that Dan J. Sullivan met all constitutional criteria for candidacy, including Alaska residency, U.S. citizenship for at least nine years, and the minimum age of 30.

Dan J. Sullivan’s legal representatives declined to comment on the decision. Meanwhile, Peltola’s campaign has consistently denied any involvement with the lesser-known Sullivan’s candidacy.

Alaska uses a distinctive primary system that places all candidates, regardless of party, on the same ballot. The top four vote-getters then advance to the general election, where a ranked-choice voting method is employed. Republicans fear that Dan J. Sullivan’s presence on the primary ballot could siphon votes from the incumbent senator, potentially weakening his chances.

Sen. Dan S. Sullivan has held his seat since 2015 and filed for reelection in July 2025. Dan J. Sullivan filed his candidacy on May 29, just days before the filing deadline, which critics have cited as further evidence that his bid was not intended as a genuine campaign. Both candidates requested to appear on the ballot as “Sullivan, Dan.”

The primary election is scheduled for August 18. The printing deadline for ballots is Tuesday.