Dan J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher and candidate for U.S. Senate in Alaska, stands in the doorway of a workshop in Petersburg.
Reported by:
Cherry Meigh Timbol
News Content Editor
Published October 31, 2026
PETERSBURG, Alaska – Dan J. Sullivan Jr., the retired teacher whose name nearly matches that of Alaska’s Republican senator, has left his hometown just days before Tuesday’s election, according to CBS News. His whereabouts are not publicly known.
A former student told CBS News she saw Sullivan on a Monday flight from Petersburg to Anchorage, but she did not know his final destination. That was two days before The New York Times reported that operatives aligned with
Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign helped recruit him to divert votes from the Republican incumbent, Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. Peltola’s team denies any involvement. Peltola has told supporters she is “not interested in tricking voters” and knew nothing about the second Sullivan.
A friend told CBS that Sullivan and his wife frequently travel. Sullivan did not respond when Petersburg public radio station KFSK sought comment
Wednesday, and CBS’s report carries no comment from him. Sullivan has previously denied running at Democrats’ request. In summer interviews, he said he is genuinely interested in serving as senator.
Little visible campaigning in Petersburg
CBS reporters in Petersburg, a community of about 3,000 reachable only by air or sea, found little evidence of active campaigning. Dozens of residents said they had not seen or received mailers, flyers, brochures or signs since he announced his candidacy last spring. Local reactions were mixed.
One resident, a fisherman, said he did not consider it a serious candidacy. Another resident described him as the only candidate capable of representing Southeast Alaska.
Background
Sullivan worked in the local school district for nearly two decades, teaching music and fourth and fifth grade before retiring in 2021. He filed to run as a Republican three days before the filing deadline. Some outlets, including CBS, now describe him as an independent.
State officials disqualified him from the ballot, but the Alaska Supreme Court overturned that decision in June. The incumbent senator finished second in the August primary with 41.4% of the vote. Under Alaska’s open primary system, the top four finishers advance regardless of party. Dan J. Sullivan finished third, with 1.1% of the vote.
Legal proceedings
Nobody has been charged with a crime. Media reports say the Justice Department issued grand jury subpoenas as part of a federal investigation into his candidacy.
The investigation is expected to continue beyond Election Day. The Justice Department has also filed a civil suit seeking to block certification of the election if Sen. Sullivan loses because of “voter confusion.” (Daniel J. Sullivan left his Alaska hometown before Senate election +3)
