Trump Says Same-Name Dan Sullivan Candidacy Under Investigation, Calls It ‘Another Hoax by the Democrats’– slaynews.com
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EXCERPT:
President Donald Trump says authorities are investigating the candidacy of an independent Alaska Senate challenger who shares a name with Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), calling the situation a Democratic effort to siphon votes from the Republican incumbent.
Speaking to Fox News after an Alaska campaign rally Tuesday night, Trump said the matter was being reviewed.
However, the president declined to identify the investigation as federal.
“We are looking, I can’t say federal, but we are looking into it,” Trump said.
“It’s a disgrace,” he noted.
“We have, I call him the real Dan Sullivan, a great senator from Alaska.
“And in the race, they put somebody named Dan Sullivan who knows nothing about politics.
“His name happens to be Dan Sullivan.
“They even wanted to change his middle initial, which was different.
“They wanted to make it an S so that it could be exactly correct.
“I think it’s just terrible that they did it.”
Trump Blasts Same-Name Challenge
Trump argued that the independent challenger’s presence creates confusion in a race involving an established Republican senator.
“And actually, he got two points or something in the primary,” Trump added.
“The real Dan Sullivan won it, but … It’s a terrible thing.
“It’s another hoax by the Democrats.”
The president’s comments place fresh attention on the same-name candidacy as Alaska voters prepare to choose their next senator.
President Urges Republican Rival to Step Aside
Trump also addressed Alaska’s gubernatorial race, urging Republican Dave Bronson to withdraw and consolidate support behind his endorsed candidate, Bernadette Wilson.
Trump said Wilson’s stronger primary performance should have prompted other Republicans to leave the race.
“He doesn’t have to, but he should, because, frankly, he lost in the primary by substantial numbers to Bernadette,” Trump said.
“And I’m not involved that much in, you know, Alaska politics, other than I want to see Dan and Nick get in.
“But she won in the primaries, and the others should have dropped out.
“So now you have three Republicans running against one Democrat.
“And I don’t like that.
“I don’t like those odds very much.
“But there, she’s great, and maybe she’ll get in, but I thought I had an obligation to endorse her.”
Trump Defends Iran Campaign Against Peltola Criticism
The president also pushed back against former Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK), the Democrat Senate candidate, after she criticized Sullivan’s support for the war in Iran.
Trump argued that higher gasoline prices are a “small price to pay” to prevent the Iranian regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“Can you imagine if they attacked our cities, and they attacked places where we are, including right here in Alaska?” Trump said.
“You would see turmoil far greater.
“We have a lot of oil flowing right now in the almost strait, we control it.
“The war is going to be over very, very soon.
“We’re going to have a big victory very shortly.
“Very, very shortly, and oil is going to come way, way down.
“Gasoline is going to come down to where it was before.”
He predicted that prices would fall as the conflict concludes, while emphasizing that preventing a nuclear-armed Iran remains the central objective.
“I had it down to $1.85 a gallon in some places like Iowa and a lot of places, actually,” Trump added.
“And I think we’re going to maybe even top those numbers.
“So you’re going to see it.
“But most importantly, Iran, the number-one state sponsor of terror, will never have a nuclear weapon.
“If they had one, you might not be standing here right now.”