Petersburg, Alaska — Daniel J. Sullivan, the independent candidate running for Senate in Alaska whose name is nearly identical to the Republican senator running for re-election, left his hometown of Petersburg earlier this week, multiple sources confirmed to CBS News. A resident and former student of Sullivan’s said she saw Sullivan on a flight to Anchorage on Monday, two days before The New York Times first reported that he was recruited by agents linked to Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign. The source added that he didn’t know where Sullivan was headed, but another friend said he and his wife are known among friends as “world travelers.” Sullivan’s current whereabouts after leaving his hometown is unclear. Dozens of Petersburg residents also told CBS News that they have never seen or received any campaign materials such as mailers, fliers, brochures or posters since the former elementary school teacher announced his candidacy last spring. “I don’t think it’s a serious candidacy,” said Andrew Worhatch, a Petersburg fisherman. “I haven’t seen a platform.” Just days before the midterm elections, a CBS News crew in Petersburg also found no evidence of any active campaigning by the candidate, not even outside his own home, which is located off the main coastal highway. A photo of Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from Petersburg, Alaska, from the yearbook of the elementary school where he worked. Still, Sullivan has his supporters — and voters — including Keely Hankins, who said she believes “Petersburg Dan” is the only candidate capable of representing Southeast Alaska. “I’ve known Dan for a long time. I know his family. I know he’s raised good kids and he’s always been a great role model for his students,” Hankins said. “If you intend to vote and you do it intentionally, you know who you’re voting for and you say ‘Daniel J. Sullivan, Jr.,’ then you say ‘Dan Sullivan, incumbent.’ Just read the newspaper. It’s not that hard.”But some don’t appreciate the new attention on the city. Darla Kowalski said, “It’s embarrassing to think that we, a small fishing town, have such a phony.” Daniel J. Sullivan taught music in fourth and fifth grades before retiring five years ago. The local school district in Petersburg, a city of about 3,000 accessible only by air or sea, said Sullivan taught music and taught fourth and fifth grades for nearly 20 years before retiring in 2021. Republicans have argued for months that Sullivan was seeking to confuse voters in one of the nation’s closest midterm elections for the Senate, with Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan calling him a “dummy candidate.” State election officials initially deemed him ineligible for election, but state courts overturned that decision. Peltola’s campaign and national Democrats have denied any connection to Daniel J. Sullivan, and Peltola told her supporters that she is “not interested in misleading voters” and that she “didn’t know anything about” the second Sullivan. In interviews over the summer, the Petersburg native insisted that he is genuinely interested in serving as a senator. After the Times reported on alleged efforts to recruit Daniel J. Sullivan, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered an investigation and the Justice Department escalated a criminal investigation. No one has been charged with any crime. The Justice Department is also suing in civil court to block certification of the election if Sen. Dan Sullivan loses due to “voter confusion.” This story was first published on CBS News at 3:41 pm on October 30, 2026. 2026 Midterm Elections More Go deeper with The Free Press
