A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration that sought to block the certification of results in Alaska's U.S. Senate race if the Republican incumbent, Dan Sullivan, were to lose. The civil lawsuit against the state also sought to separate and preserve certain ballots in the upcoming election.
The Justice Department argued that the presence of two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ballot potentially diverted voters, which they claimed would benefit the Democratic nominee, Mary Peltola. Peltola is facing both the Republican incumbent and another candidate with the same name in one of the country's most closely watched races.
The Republican-led attorney general’s office in Alaska had implored the judge to permanently dismiss the lawsuit. The Trump administration's effort to challenge the election certification contrasted with pledges made by Senator Sullivan.