Campaigns, attorneys weigh in on Trump’s DOJ suit to block election results if Sen. Sullivan loses– www.adn.com

The Trump administration’s Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking to stop Alaska officials from certifying the results of the U.S. Senate race if Sen. Dan S. Sullivan loses his reelection bid, and calling for an investigation into whether votes cast for a namesake challenger were intended for the incumbent.

Attorneys and lawmakers have decried the move, labeling it legally unfounded and a political maneuver.

With early voting already underway in the Nov. 3 general election, the lawsuit could create a legal hurdle if Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola defeats the Republican senator in the closely watched race.

The race for Alaska’s Senate seat is seen as one of a few battleground contests that could determine whether Democrats flip control of the chamber.

The lawsuit alleges that the presence of retired Petersburg educator Dan J. Sullivan, a Republican who shares the same first and last name as the incumbent, on the ballot “threatens to mislead Alaskan citizens who want to vote for Senator Sullivan.”