Justice Department sues to block Alaska Senate certification if Sen. Dan Sullivan loses

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in federal court in Alaska and signed by Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, argues that some supporters of the incumbent "likely will inadvertently vote for Daniel J. Sullivan," according to NBC News. It seeks to block certification pending an investigation into whether those votes were meant for the senator, the AP reported. "I'm the one that said do it," Trump told reporters Friday. Attorney General Todd Blanche said Thursday that it is not the department's intention to improperly interfere with certification.

Alaska election officials removed Daniel J. Sullivan from the ballot in June, but the state's courts, including the Alaska Supreme Court, ruled he could stay on. A Justice Department statement called his candidacy "frivolous" and cited the National Voter Registration Act. Democratic nominee Mary Peltola criticized the suit on X, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee called it a "sham lawsuit." Daniel J. Sullivan has said he decided to run on his own.

Why it matters: Both parties expect a close race, and Alaska's ranked choice count can take weeks. Notre Dame law professor Derek Muller told the AP that the statute does not let the department block certification and that a court would likely dismiss the case next month if it is not made moot.