Trump calls for prosecution of Alaska Senate candidate Peltola over Sullivan name controversy

Key Points:

• President Donald Trump called for the criminal prosecution of Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola after reports that her campaign appeared to recruit a candidate named Dan J. Sullivan to potentially confuse voters in the Alaska Senate race against Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan.
• Text messages obtained by The New York Times suggest Peltola's campaign discussed recruiting individuals with the same name as the Republican senator, eventually leading to retired schoolteacher Dan J. Sullivan entering the race.
• Dan J. Sullivan denies any coordination with Peltola's campaign, and both Peltola's team and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have denied involvement in recruiting him.
• Alaska's Supreme Court allowed Dan J. Sullivan to remain on the ballot despite earlier rulings questioning his candidacy, and legal experts say the controversy is unlikely to affect ongoing litigation filed by the Department of Justice aimed at blocking certification if Peltola wins.
• The race is critical in determining control of the U.S. Senate, with early voting already underway and both sides accusing each other of deceptive tactics.