Alaska governor orders probe into Democratic campaign's alleged links to same-name candidate

The Republican governor of Alaska has ordered an investigation into an alleged "scheme" designed "to manipulate Alaska's elections".

Governor Mike Dunleavy said he was responding to a New York Times (NYT) report, external. The story said the team of Democratic candidate Mary Peltola worked with people who tried to recruit a man to contest the Senate race who shares their name with Peltola's opponent, Dan Sullivan.

Sullivan, the incumbent senator, and fellow Republicans have accused the Democrats of trying to confuse voters. President Donald Trump has called for Peltola to be barred.

Peltola's team deny any wrongdoing, or encouraging the second Dan Sullivan to stand in the tight contest.

For his part, the second Dan Sullivan, a retired teacher who lives in a remote fishing village, denies any links with the Peltola campaign. Although he has given few interviews, he told the NYT, external in August he was running the race in good faith as a moderate Republican, albeit that he had voted for Peltola in previous contests.

The ballot paper is set to list the two men as Dan S Sullivan, who will be described as the incumbent Republican senator, and Daniel J Sullivan Jr.

Senator Dan Sullivan told Fox News on Wednesday night that Peltola should "come clean" and described it as a scandal of the highest order.

His fellow Republican senator in Alaska, Lisa Murkowksi, accused the Democratic campaign of engaging in a "pattern of lies".

Kaynak: BBC News World RSS (Açık Basın / Haber Servisi)