Trump Demands DOJ Block Alaska Senate Certification If Republican Dan Sullivan Loses
Trump is asking the Justice Department to block certification of Alaska's Senate race if Republican Dan Sullivan loses, claiming voter confusion over a candidate with a similar name. The move raises concerns about whether he will accept midterm results.
President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to file a lawsuit to block certification of the U.S. Senate race in Alaska if Republican Senator Dan Sullivan loses to Democratic challenger Mary Peltola [270342]. Trump argues that voters would be confused because two Republicans on the ballot have similar names [270030][270342]. The request asks the Justice Department (DOJ) to intervene in the race, citing possible confusion over two candidates who share the same name [270030].
The move raises questions about whether Trump will accept a possible defeat in the midterm elections, which are less than two weeks away [270340][270342]. Concerns are growing over whether the president will accept a major Republican defeat [270340].
Representative Adam Schiff accused the DOJ of trying to "subvert" Alaska's Senate election following the request [271624]. Schiff claims the DOJ's actions threaten the fairness of the race, while Republicans argue the namesake candidate could mislead voters at the ballot box [271624].
The Alaska dispute is part of a broader pattern of election challenges. Trump is also using California's lengthy vote-counting process to cast doubt on the state's elections and its mail voting system [273142]. California often takes longer than other states to finish counting results because it relies heavily on mail ballots, which take more time to verify and process [273142].
In Washington state, the Trump administration asked officials to set aside ballots from more than 400 people it claims are registered to vote without U.S. citizenship [271852]. The request came less than two weeks after a similar demand in California [271852]. The move is the latest sign of the administration's efforts to challenge election results in states with competitive midterm races that could determine control of Congress [271852].
Meanwhile, Trump has intensified his attacks on Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, portraying him as a threat to national security and questioning his loyalty to the United States [271645]. At a Sunday rally, the president made remarks about El-Sayed that drew concern [271606].
Karoline Leavitt says Trump is ignoring negative approval ratings and focusing on a blunt midterm strategy: rallying MAGA voters who usually skip midterm elections [270716]. Election forecaster Nate Silver says Republican losses in the coming elections could be severe, describing the likelihood of a GOP wipeout as growing [272887]. Silver cautions that polls are not predictions, but says current data point to major Republican defeats [272887].
Separately, Trump joked that $5,000 would buy "a hamburger and maybe a small dessert" at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, a remark that came as affordability concerns weigh on voters ahead of the midterms [273220]. Polls show Americans believe Democrats would handle affordability concerns better than Republicans [273220]. Farmers, long one of Trump's most loyal groups of supporters, are now feeling financial pain and may be ready to give his party a harsh reality check [272812].