Three Bob Fergusons ran in 2024; now two Dan Sullivans face Alaska ballot fight

Three candidates named Bob Ferguson appeared on the Washington state ballot during the 2024 gubernatorial primary. The state Attorney General was joined by two other Democratic men with the same name in a race that ended with his election. A Republican activist had paid the other two men to run, hoping their presence would confuse voters and weaken the incumbent's lead.

That tactic is now at the center of the Alaska US Senate race. A New York Times report revealed that Democrats appeared to support retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan, a potential spoiler candidate, to draw votes away from incumbent Senator Dan S. Sullivan. The Justice Department has filed a preemptive lawsuit to block the results if the incumbent loses. Both the state and federal governments are investigating the matter.

President Donald Trump called for the criminal prosecution of Democratic candidate Mary Peltola. He posted on Truth Social that she should suffer legal and political consequences for her actions. He added that the fake Dan Sullivan should also be punished, stating that nothing else would do.

Thomas Kahn, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University, called the strategy a time-honored tradition. He noted that if confusing voters were a crime, every politician would be in jail. The practice has occurred for over a century, often resulting in technical defeats or legal battles rather than outright bans.

In 1930, grocery clerk George W. Norris ran against Senator George W. Norris in Nebraska. The senator claimed he was finished unless the other Norris was removed. The clerk was later ruled ineligible due to a filing deadline error. In 1954, John Francis Kennedy, a stockroom supervisor, won a Massachusetts state treasurer race without a party endorsement, capitalizing on the fame of Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Florida authorities convicted state Sen. Frank Artiles in 2020 for recruiting ghost candidate Alex Rodriguez with a $50,000 payment. The goal was to take votes from Democratic incumbent Jose Javier Rodriguez. Rodriguez received over 6,000 votes, and a Republican opponent won by just 32 votes. Artiles was convicted of excessive campaign contributions and procuring a falsified candidate oath.

In Alaska, the top-four primary and ranked-choice voting system make the race susceptible to such tactics. Voters can rank multiple candidates, which may mitigate confusion. The state Supreme Court already ruled to keep the retired teacher on the ballot. Eric Hafner, an unaffiliated Democrat serving time in a federal prison, is also on the November 3 general election ballot for a House seat.