On June 29, 2026, the Alaska Supreme Court issued an order that the Alaska Division of Elections must allow Dan Sullivan (R), a retired teacher, to run in the top-four primary for the U.S. Senate in Alaska. As a result, Sullivan will be on the same ballot as incumbent U.S. Sen. Daniel S. Sullivan (R-Alaska), whom voters first elected in 2014. 

In the order, the Court stated that the Division of Elections may decide how Sullivan's name would appear on the ballot.

After Sullivan filed to run on May 29, 2026, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) sent a letter to Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher and Alaska Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom (R), who supervises the Division of Elections. In the letter, the NRSC requested that the Division of Elections investigate whether Sullivan entered the race to confuse voters and siphon votes from the incumbent to help another candidate, former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (D).

Regarding the matter, Sen. Sullivan said, "His whole purpose of running is to confuse Alaskans, to make him, make them think – Alaskan voters – that somehow he's me, so they could rig the vote in favor of Mary Peltola."

On June 8, 2026, Dahlstrom sent a letter to Sullivan requesting that he respond to seven questions regarding the matter under an affidavit. Dahlstrom also asked Sullivan if he would object to his name appearing as "Sullivan, Daniel James Jr. (non-incumbent)" on the ballot, along with his Republican Party designation being removed. Sullivan did not provide an affidavit.

Regarding the matter, Sullivan said, "I am a qualified candidate who followed the rules and filed to run for office under my legal name. Yet, unsupported accusations have been given credibility while political operatives continue their effort to keep me off the ballot. Alaskans have every reason to ask whether this process is being driven by politics rather than by a fair application of the law."

Peltola's campaign and Alaska Democratic Party Executive Director Jenny-Marie Stryker both denied involvement in Sullivan's campaign.

On June 10, 2026, Beecher issued a preliminary decision that Sullivan could not appear on the ballot. On June 15, 2026, she issued a final decision that he could not appear on the ballot. In a letter announcing her final decision, Beecher wrote, "6 AAC 25.212 forbids me from placing a name on the primary election ballot 'in a manner that is confusing or misleading to voters or compromises the fairness or neutrality of the ballot.'"

On June 22, 2026, Sullivan filed a challenge to the decision. On June 26, 2026, Alaska Superior Court Judge Thomas A. Matthews ruled that Sullivan must remain on the ballot. The Division of Elections then appealed to the state Supreme Court.