US President Donald Trump ordered a Justice Department lawsuit to prevent the certification of Alaska's Senate election result if the Republican incumbent loses to Democrat Mary Peltola, signaling his refusal to accept another electoral defeat as midterms approach. Trump made this statement during a visit to Florida, reinforcing concerns over the potential for another stolen election narrative to emerge post-2020. The lawsuit alleges that the entry of a minor candidate named Dan J. Sullivan Jr. on the ballot is intended to confuse voters and harm Senator Dan Sullivan's chances of victory. Despite these claims, Sullivan Jr. and Democrats have denied any nefarious intent behind the candidacy. The lawsuit asks for certification of a Democratic win to be delayed if the margin of victory is close enough to raise suspicion.
The move comes amid broader allegations by Democrats that the Trump administration is seeking ways to influence the November election results, including through federal interference in state-run elections. Trump narrowly won Alaska by 13 percentage points in 2024, but Peltola, a former tribal judge, is running competitively in a state with a small population of 740,000. Legal analyst Derek Muller called the Justice Department's case "virtually untenable" in court, suggesting the lawsuit is unlikely to succeed. (AFP)