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WASHINGTON — A mysterious super PAC propping up retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan in Alaska’s closely watched Senate race is funded by progressive donors, new financial disclosures reveal.
Dan J. Sullivan, aka “Decoy Dan,” shares the same first and last name as incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan (R-Alaska) and is listed on the ballot as a Republican despite voting against Donald Trump in each of the past three presidential elections.
Republicans have long accused “Decoy Dan” of being a spoiler planted and boosted by Democrats to confuse voters in what is expected to be a very close race between Sen. Sullivan and former Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), with the claims underpinning FEC complaints and litigation.
New financial disclosures support that theory. Right for Alaska, a super PAC that has spent close to $1.15 million to support “Decoy Dan,” took in approximately $990,000 from the left-wing Sixteen Thirty Fund, according to Federal Election Commission data.
Right For Alaska, whose mailing address is located in the Twin Cities suburb of Hudson, Wis., also got $1.8 million from the Liberty Force Action Fund, a dark money 501(c)(4) that doesn’t have to disclose its donors.
Both Right for Alaska and the Liberty Force Action Fund list as their treasurer a man named Thomas Datwyler — previously linked to lying former Long Island Rep. George Santos (R-NY).
Datwyler did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Conservative groups have pushed the Justice Department to investigate Datwyler and his antics, accusing him of “running roughshod over federal campaign finance” law.
Both Dan Sullivans will be on the Nov. 3 general election ballot, having finished in the top four of The Last Frontier’s non-partisan August primary.
Dan J. Sullivan was kicked off the primary ballot back in June by Alaska’s top election official, who concluded that a “preponderance of the evidence” showed his name and party affiliation were chosen to potentially confuse voters.
Days later, the Alaska Supreme Court ordered “Decoy Dan” back on the ballot, finding state law did not require candidates to run in good faith, and told the state Divison of Elections to take less drastic steps to differentiate between the two Sullivans.
In August, the New York Times reported that Sullivan — who describes himself as a moderate Republican — took part in anti-Trump “No Kings” protests, supported Peltola in both her congressional bids, and even has a magnet depicting notorious far-left revolutionary Che Guevara on his refrigerator.
Under Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system, one of Peltola or Sullivan must finish with more than 50% of the vote to be elected.
Currently, the Democrat leads by 2.5 percentage points — 49.5% to 47.0% — in the latest RealClearPolitics polling average.