Peltola denies knowing about Alaska spoiler candidate Dan J. Sullivan
The name confusion alone is almost too perfect. A spoiler candidate sharing the exact name of the incumbent, Dan J. Sullivan versus Dan Sullivan, would be a nightmare for voters trying to sort out their ballots. Whether or not Peltola knew what her campaign was doing, the optics are terrible, and her repeated denials suggest the story isn't going away quietly.
I'd want to know who actually paid for that filing fee and who collected the signatures. Campaigns are sprawling operations, and it's plausible a staffer or consultant acted without the candidate's knowledge. But "I didn't know" only goes so far. In a race this close, even a couple thousand confused votes could tip the outcome, and voters have a right to expect the person at the top to own what happens in her name.
The bigger issue is how easily our election rules can be gamed. Ranked-choice voting in Alaska was supposed to reduce the impact of spoilers, yet here we are. If the allegations hold up, it's a reminder that the system only works when the people running in it play by the same rules.