Can Dan Sullivan come to the front?  

The Alaska senatorial race is heating up as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan faces another obstacle in his bid for reelection.

Last week, the Daily Mail exclusively revealed the politician's exorbitant spending, including $27,400 he splashed out at a California resort where The Bachelorette was filmed. 

But the revelation of his excessive purchases isn't the only battle the 61-year-old Republican is trying to conquer as Alaskans prepare for the August 18 primary. 

He's battling himself...or some might mistake that as there are two Dan Sullivans running on the conservative ticket this year. 

The incumbent, Senator Dan S Sullivan, and newcomer, Dan J Sullivan, 68, of Petersburg, will both appear on the Republican ballot, and the senator claims it is threatening his campaign. 

Senator Sullivan has threatened a lawsuit against the elementary school teacher and Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom, who oversees Alaskan elections, has launched a probe into the second Sullivan's campaign. 

'Serious allegations have been raised concerning this filing in the race for US Senate, and the people of Alaska deserve a thorough and transparent investigation to ensure that the election is carried out properly and without deception,' Dahlstrom, a fellow Republican, said in a statement. 

Alaska has open primaries and only the top four – regardless of political party – move forward to the November general election.

Senator Sullivan's camp accused his Democratic opponent, Mary Peltola, of sourcing the man who carries his namesake to confuse voters to secure her the election. 

'[She has] now recruited a sham candidate for the sole purpose of tricking Alaskans and buying a Senate seat,' the campaign’s spokesman and the vice president of Black Rock Group, Nate Adams, told the Daily Mail last week. 

However, Peltola's camp rebutted this to the Daily Mail, saying: 'Our campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.' 

J Sullivan has refuted his representative's claims, telling AP: 'This is my choice. I have every right to run for whatever office I’m qualified for, and I’m qualified for this office. 

'I think I’m doing what most Americans would think would be a patriotic thing to do when you’re unsatisfied with the status quo. You stand up and say, I’m going to fight for things I believe that are going to make my community better.' 

He claimed he and his Republican opponent sharing the same moniker was a 'matter of fate.' 

J Sullivan also rejects Senator Sullivan's accusations that he's a Peltola plant and denied having any contact with the Democrat's team or any Democratic operative. 

The challenger said he was registered with the Alaskan Independence Party for decades before it dissolved last year. He later listed himself as aligned with the Republican party when he filed his campaign, he told AP. 

He described himself as a mix of Rand Paul and current Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski, and said he is a 'pragmatic Republican centrist.' 

The 68-year-old, who grew up in Chicago but has spent the last 50 years in The Last Frontier, also said he was inspired by his late father, who was a 'true, compassionate, conservative Republican,' he told AP. 

And the Chicago native isn't afraid of Senator Sullivan, telling AP: 'Dude, why don’t you just run your campaign? If you’ve got a strong record, run on your record. People will love you for it and you’ll be swept back into office. 

'Why would he be concerned that a guy out of Petersburg is this huge threat?' 

However, a national Republican operative close to Senator Sullivan's campaign told the Daily Mail that Democratic strategist, Amber Lee, who has publicly endorsed Peltola, was the one who authored J Sullivan's bid announcement. 

'It’s going to be a hard race, but…I believe there’s a real chance for her to win this,' she told The Hill about the Democratic candidate in January, while also remarking that Peltola is the first 'real challenger' Senator Sullivan has faced since taking office. 

Lee's consulting firm has also received more than $3,000 in 2024 from the Vote Alaska Before Party PAC, which has been linked to Peltola's campaigns. The PAC had also spent nearly $9 million on Peltola's now-dissolved House campaign. 

The PAC's treasurer is Jim Lottsfeldt, according to a Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing, viewed by the Daily Mail. He owns Lottsfeldt Strategies, where Lee formerly worked as a communications strategist, an archive of his website showed. 

The PAC also received $23,350 from Lottsfeldt Strategies in late February, FEC filings showed. 

The Republican source told the Daily Mail that Lee worked for Lottsfeldt until February, leaving shortly after Peltola announced her Senate campaign in January. 

This has led those in Senator Sullivan's orbit to believe Peltola set up the ruse to widen the gap between her and the incumbent, as they're currently the top two candidates.  

The source also pointed to FEC filings showing J Sullivan has previously donated to many Democratic campaigns, including giving $130 to Peltola through ActBlue, a liberal donation platform.

Senator Sullivan's campaign praised Dahlstrom's decision to look into J Sullivan's campaign. 

'The State of Alaska is standing up for every Alaskan voter's right to a fair and honest ballot,' Adams wrote in a statement. 'Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom’s letter makes clear that Alaska's elections will not be a playground for deception. 

'We commend her commitment to ensuring voters' right to an honest, fair election is upheld and are hopeful that the ruse that is lifelong Democrat, Sham candidate Dan Sullivan’s phony candidacy will come to a swift end.'

J Sullivan has been requested by Dahlstrom to submit a sworn affidavit answering her questions. 

Some of the questions involve asking him if he's always gone by Dan, if he was previously affiliated with the Democratic party, and to explain the design of his campaign website, which is very similar to Senator Sullivan's. 

However, it may be hard to get J Sullivan to answer the questions, as he previously denied a sit-down interview with AP because he wanted to fish while the king salmon were running, the outlet noted. 

This weekend is also his birthday.

He also told AP he is still raising funds for his bid and will eventually start to campaign in larger cities, like Juneau and Anchorage, but he has no firm plans on when that will be. 

While J Sullivan answers questions about his newly launched campaign, Senator Sullivan will be answering his constituents' questions about where their money has gone. 

FEC filings, viewed by the Daily Mail, showed that Sullivan's campaign is flush with $7 million in cash and has some telling receipts.

Sullivan apparently has a taste for bougie French cuisine, as he has visited Bistro Cacao 21 times between January 2025 and March 2026, billing more than $21,500 on his campaign and True North PAC's tab for the flashy DC restaurant.

The Washingtonian described the upscale bistro as a place where 'Capitol Hill power brokers fill the tables,' making it an excellent spot for Sullivan to advance his campaign.

The 61-year-old also frequents the 116 Club, a private DC establishment that is known to be filled with high-powered lobbyists. He visited 10 times in the same time frame, racking up nearly $12,300 in bills, FEC filings showed. 

He also enjoyed Joe's Stone Crab, where he spent $5,376.11 in one visit, and $2,000 at RPM Italian, which sells a nearly $900 bottle of white sparkling wine and $36 ravioli.

One of the Alaskan's biggest expenses came from his PAC, Sullivan Victory, which spent a whopping $27,400 at the La Quinta in California, where season 16 of The Bachelorette was filmed. The stay was booked for over Coachella weekend. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Dan J Sullivan, Senator Sullivan, Peltola, Lee, and Lieutenant Governor Dahlstrom for comment.