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Dan Sullivan
AK · At-large
In plain English: One of Alaska's two U.S. senators. Senators vote on federal laws, confirm judges and cabinet officials, and approve treaties.
Term
2015-01-06 – 2027-01-03
Next election
2026-11-03General election vs. Mary Peltola (D); independent Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. also on ballot; instant-runoff voting Race context (poll snapshot, not a forecast): NYT/Siena, released 2026-10-03: Peltola 50, Sullivan 43; the 7 point margin exceeds the margin of error. AP-NORC national poll, 2026-10-04: Trump approval at 31 percent, the lowest recorded across either term.
Running for
U.S. Senate (AK), re-election
Committees
Armed Services (Airland; Readiness and Management Support, chair; Seapower); Commerce, Science, and Transportation (chair, Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries subcommittee); Environment and Public Works; Veterans' Affairs
Dan Sullivan (R) is the U.S. Senator from Alaska, in office since January 6, 2015. He serves as deputy whip of the Senate Republican Conference and chairs two subcommittees (Armed Services Readiness and Management Support; Commerce Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries). He faces former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (D) in the November 3, 2026 general election, rated a toss-up.
Bio source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Sullivan_(U.S._senator)
1. Follow the money, in plain English
What we don’t have yet: verified donor records for this leader. Pending donor data source: will be backfilled; never estimated
Every money claim on this page carries its source and its confidence level; the full item-by-item money record is in the evidence below.
2. What they promised
Each promise is tracked against documented votes and actions. A status is set only from the record; where a promise has not been tested yet, the card says so.
- PROMISEIn progress
Running for re-election "to continue delivering real results for Alaska," citing "unleashing Alaska's energy potential." Status so far: On September 30, 2026, at an Oval Office event, Sullivan spoke in support of the Alaska LNG pipeline, saying it would bring low-cost energy to Alaskans for 50 to 100 years and 12,000 jobs to build the project. On October 5, 2026, he led a "Build the Line" chant for the pipeline and said it would be built with a spur line to Fairbanks.
- PROMISEIn progress
[Paraphrase] Sullivan "has called on Trump to ban diesel exports" amid the economic fallout from the conflict with Iran and Russia's war in Ukraine, as part of making affordability and energy primary campaign issues. Status so far: On September 22, 2026, Sullivan called for a temporary moratorium on exports of U.S. diesel products to lower prices, until the conflict in Iran ends and supply disruptions resolve. On October 5, 2026, he urged President Trump to ban diesel exports as fuel costs rose, with AAA putting Alaska diesel at $6.60 per gallon the day before.
- PROMISEIn progress
[Paraphrase] Sullivan's campaign spokesman Nate Adams said Sullivan delivers results "unleashing Alaska's energy, securing historic Coast Guard investments and standing up for our fishermen": a commitment to keep securing Coast Guard investment and defending fishermen. Status so far: On September 23, 2026, Sullivan tried to pass his Bycatch Reduction Act by unanimous consent. The bill covers reducing bycatch, protecting seafloor habitat, and strengthening transparency in federal fisheries management, and Sen. Ed Markey objected to the unanimous-consent request.
- PROMISEIn progress
"I will be working with my Senate and House colleagues to preserve all of these vital provisions and expeditiously deliver this important legislation to President Trump's desk." (re: his 53 provisions in the FY 2026 NDAA, including the GOLDEN DOME missile defense Act and $284M in Alaska military construction)
3. The evidence
Everything on this page comes from the record below, grouped so you can find things: what they said, what they did, money and influence, and what happened after. Every item carries its date, its source, and the date we last verified it.
Open the full record ↓
What they said
- STATEMENT
"This will deliver low-cost energy to Alaskans for 50 to 100 years… There will be 12,000 jobs just to build this project," on the Alaska LNG pipeline proposal, following President Trump's announcement of ~$54B in planned South Korean investment.
- STATEMENT
Attempted to pass his Bycatch Reduction Act (reduce bycatch, protect seafloor habitat, strengthen transparency in federal fisheries management) by unanimous consent; Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) alone objected, per the Congressional Record. Sullivan's office said afterward that "Senate Democrats" blocked the bill; the Record shows the objection came from Markey, who said he needed time to hear from Massachusetts fishermen. The bill can still reach the floor through the regular process.
- STATEMENT
Called for a temporary moratorium on the export of U.S. diesel products to lower prices, "until the conflict in Iran comes to an end and energy [supply disruptions resolve]."
- STATEMENT
After voting to confirm Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense: said he was confident Hegseth would "refocus our military on lethality, warfighting and peace through strength," and that Hegseth committed to continuing the military build-up in Alaska.
- STATEMENT
Appeared beside President Trump for the announcement of a claimed "$54 billion" South Korean investment in the Alaska LNG pipeline, which Sullivan’s office called a "historic $54 billion investment by South Korea." South Korea’s trade minister Kim Jung-kwan said "putting figures or using definitive language goes far beyond what was agreed" and that no decision has been made. (Verified: CNN plus NY Post plus Seoul Economic Daily.)
- FACT
Vice President Vance is scheduled to hold a Fairbanks rally for Sullivan on Monday, Oct 5; Sullivan’s campaign confirmed his attendance. (Verified: KTUU/Alaska’s News Source plus The Alaska Story.)
- STATEMENT
Sullivan spokesperson Amanda Coyne told the Juneau Independent the Alaska LNG project is one of three projects agreed under the U.S./South Korea investment framework: 'this is a big, complicated project and it's not surprising that the details are still getting hashed out... Bottom line: this is going to get built.' The response came after Seoul pushed back on the claimed $54B South Korean investment in the pipeline.
Verification note: Spokesperson statement relayed by a single outlet.
- FACT
The Energy Department will announce $150 million in federal funding for new Alaska power lines on Monday, Oct 5, the same day Vice President Vance rallies for Sullivan in the Senate battleground. The plan covers 223 miles of new transmission lines from the Beluga power station to Healy, part of a $400 million project; the corridor covers major ports and nearly three-quarters of the state's roughly 735,000 residents, per an administration official. Poll context (not a forecast): a New York Times poll concluding Oct 1 placed Peltola ahead by 7 points; other polls show the race about even. (Verified: Reuters.)
Verification note: Announcement timing and project details from a single administration official via Reuters; poll numbers are the outlets' reporting, not a WWF forecast.
- STATEMENT
Sullivan urged President Trump to ban diesel exports as fuel costs rise amid the Iran war; AAA had Alaska diesel at $6.60/gal on Sunday.
- FACT
Introducing Vance at the Fairbanks rally, Sullivan accidentally called him "president of the United States," then corrected himself.
- STATEMENT
"We are not just the firewall for Alaska. Alaska is the firewall for freedom for America right now."
- STATEMENT
Led a 'Build the Line' chant for the Alaska LNG pipeline, said it will be built with a spur line to Fairbanks, and said energy projects will come to a 'screeching halt' if Democrats are elected.
- ALLEGATION
Senate Majority PAC launched an Epstein-themed ad claiming Sullivan took over $10,000 from Epstein associates after voting to block release of the Epstein files. Figures cited: Henry Kravis gave $8,500 to the Sullivan Victory Committee (Apr 1); Howard Lorber gave $693 to Alaskans for Dan Sullivan (Jun 28), via Meidas News. Sullivan spokesman Nate Adams called the ad intentionally misleading and counter-claimed Peltola took money from Epstein-linked donors.
Verification note: Single-source partisan relay; donation figures not independently checked in this sweep; both sides' claims unverified.
- STATEMENT
President Trump endorsed Sullivan and Rep. Nick Begich as "a fantastic team," urged Alaskans to repeal ranked-choice voting ("How stupid are we to do this?") and to vote early when voting opens Oct 19. Fox49/TNND reported Oct 9 that Trump will headline a Tuesday Oct 13 rally in Wasilla for Sullivan; Sullivan's attendance is unconfirmed and his campaign did not respond to a comment request.
- FACT
KTUU / Alaska's News Source reports the campaigns of Sullivan, Rep. Nick Begich, and the GOP gubernatorial candidates confirmed their candidates will attend Trump's Oct 13 Wasilla rally. Conflict: a Sinclair/TNND piece (Oct 9) said Sullivan's attendance "remains to be seen" and that its news desk got no campaign response.
Verification note: KTUU cites campaign confirmation; TNND cites non-response. Unresolved which is current.
- STATEMENT
In a new Sullivan/NRSC attack ad reported Oct 8, Sullivan says: "I'm fighting every day for a stronger Alaska. Mary Peltola's focus? Desperate lies about me and my family." The spot says he has spent his career defending domestic-violence survivors and voted to force the Justice Department to release the Epstein files, "while Mary Peltola took huge checks from Epstein's associates"; it hits her for lobbying in Washington "after Alaskans fired her" and closes with Sullivan approving the message. (The ad's claims about Peltola are unverified in this sweep.)
- STATEMENT
Sullivan introduced the Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans Land Allotment Fulfillment Act of 2026, which would open about 3.7 million acres of National Wildlife Refuge System lands for allotment selection by eligible Alaska Native Vietnam-era veterans and their heirs. He said: "While serving their country during the Vietnam War era, many Alaska Native veterans missed the deadline to apply for their legally entitled land allotment. An injustice that we are still working to fix nearly 70 years later."
- STATEMENT
Opening for Trump at the Wasilla rally, Sullivan acknowledged Alaskans face energy-cost "challenges," then said "The conflict in the Middle East is temporary," framing Democrats' opposition to Alaska oil and gas as the lasting threat to Alaska jobs.
- STATEMENT
On the Iran war, said it "needs to end soon" and acknowledged high energy costs in Alaska, but said he has opposed limiting Trump's Iran war powers because he supports the goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
- STATEMENT
On Trump's plan to buy Russian diesel: "I don't think it's a good idea at all," adding he "just led the effort" to pass new Russia sanctions in Congress.
- STATEMENT
Questioned challenger Mary Peltola's "character," citing NYT reporting on alleged staff mistreatment; posted on X that she can't "cue-card her way through the Senate" after she used notecards, and asked moderators on-air whether candidates were "supposed to get these questions beforehand."
- STATEMENT
After the Oct 15 debate, Sullivan said Peltola "can't cue-card her way to the Senate" and is "trying to camouflage herself," and claimed she missed 20% of her congressional and state-house votes and about 40% of Bethel council meetings.
Verification note: Post-debate interview on a partisan outlet; attendance figures not independently checked in this sweep.
- STATEMENT
Asked about Trump's promise of $5,000 dividend checks if Republicans hold Congress, Sullivan said he would need to look at the legislation and would evaluate it "if and when it happens," declining to commit; he added "the real economic pain is when Democrats get control."
Verification note: Secondhand relay; the Politico original was not captured in this sweep.
- FACT
Public Policy Polling (Oct 14-15, registered voters) put Mary Peltola at 48% and Dan Sullivan at 47% in the Alaska Senate race.
Verification note: Single relay of a pollster X post; PPP is a Democratic pollster; no independent polling verification in this sweep.
- STATEMENT
On President Trump's unilateral decision to launch the Iran war, Sullivan said "Congress definitely should have been consulted." On the proposed Alaska LNG pipeline, with moderators reporting South Korea had not committed funding despite Trump's promotion, Sullivan defended the administration: Seoul had committed funding through a broader trade agreement while the specific investment amount remained under negotiation.
- STATEMENT
Asked whether they would accept the election results, both Alaska campaigns said they would accept outcomes without condition.
Verification note: Completes the Oct 15 Reuters survey set (the Husted and Ricketts answers were staged Oct 15).
- STATEMENT
Asked what Congress could do to end the Iran war, Sullivan first spoke about Alaska energy production; after questioner Liz Ruskin said "I'm sorry, I didn't hear an answer," he said the U.S. should "open the Straits of Hormuz and make sure Iran does not get a nuclear weapon." He claimed he is "leading the biggest buildup of the Alaskan military in our history." On troop pay raises: "she did vote against a pay raise for our troops because she wanted more transgender surgeries for our troops. That is an outrage."
Verification note: The transgender-surgeries characterization of Peltola's NDAA vote is Sullivan's claim; Peltola disputes it and says she voted for troop pay raises three other times.
- FACT
Trump headlined a rally for Sullivan at a Wasilla sports complex on Oct 13. Trump pardoned two Anchorage diesel-mechanics on stage (both convicted of Clean Air Act violations for removing pollution controls from diesel engines), vowed the Iran war would "end very soon" and "prices will come tumbling down," and urged the crowd to vote for Sullivan, saying "We have to make sure that Dan gets in."
- FACT
Alaska's congressional delegation (Sens. Sullivan and Murkowski, Rep. Begich) announced Oct 19 that the Alaska Railroad was awarded $249 million in Federal Railroad Administration CRISI funding to complete the 32-mile Port MacKenzie Rail Extension, linking the deepwater port to the Alaska Railroad main line near Houston. Sullivan called it "a major win for the Mat-Su Borough and our entire state" and said it could support mineral development and major energy projects including Alaska LNG.
- STATEMENT
Trump posted that he is "very concerned" about Sullivan's Senate race and threatened "powerful legal options" to remove retired Petersburg teacher Dan J. Sullivan from the ballot, fearing voter confusion or vote-siphoning versus Mary Peltola. No suit was filed and no legal grounds were specified.
- STATEMENT
Sullivan said the Iran war "needs to end soon" as economic fallout, including high gas prices, hits Alaska.
- FACT
The Hill/Decision Desk HQ Oct 20 polling average has Peltola leading Sullivan by about 1.5 points. AdImpact reports more than $56 million spent on the race by late August.
- FACT
Vice President JD Vance campaigned for Sullivan in Alaska earlier in October.
Verification note: Single outlet; consistent with earlier campaign-visit reporting.
- FACT
The Justice Department sued in federal court in Anchorage to preemptively block Alaska from certifying its U.S. Senate race results if Sen. Dan S. Sullivan loses by a narrow margin, alleging voters could be confused by a third candidate on the ballot, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., whom the suit says is running 'with the intention of misleading supporters of Senator Sullivan into voting for him.' The suit asks a judge to block certification of an outcome 'that may be impacted by voter confusion' pending an investigation into whether votes for Daniel J. Sullivan were meant for Sen. Sullivan.
Verification note: The suit is a DOJ allegation about the other candidate's intent, not a finding; no court ruling on it was reported in this sweep.
- STATEMENT
President Trump said of the Justice Department lawsuit over the Alaska Senate race: 'I\'m the one that said do it.'
- STATEMENT
Responding to the Justice Department lawsuit over Alaska Senate certification, Sullivan said through campaign spokesman Nate Adams that he had no prior knowledge of or role in the suit: 'I think Alaskans can tell the difference between a Democrat sideshow and a strong record of delivering for Alaskans.' He added: 'So what I support is fair and free elections, election integrity in Alaska.'
Verification note: Sullivan's response to the Oct 22 DOJ suit already in this profile.
What they did
- VOTE
H.R. 7008: congressional stock-trading restrictions Yea on cloture on the motion to proceed (rejected 53–47 (60 required))
- VOTE
Luján amendment to Senate budget resolution: reverse ~$187B in SNAP cuts from the 2025 reconciliation bill Yea (broke with GOP leadership) (failed 47–50)
- VOTE
H.R. 1: One Big Beautiful Bill Act (passage, as amended) Yea on passage (passed 50–50, Vice President tie-break Yea)
- VOTE
Confirmation of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense Yea (confirmed 51–50, Vice President tie-break Yea)
- VOTE
H.Con.Res. 89: directing removal of U.S. forces from Iran hostilities Nay on passage (roll-call #244, 119th Congress, 2nd Session) (failed 49-50)
Verification note: Only four Republicans voted Yea (Collins, Murkowski, Paul, Tillis); Sullivan voted Nay, consistent with his stated opposition to limiting Trump's Iran powers.
- VOTE
H.R. 9340: Ratepayer Protection Act (data-center grid costs) Yea on cloture on the motion to proceed (roll-call #254) (failed 57-43 (60 required))
- FACT
Sought Senate passage of his Bycatch Reduction Act (reduce bycatch, protect seafloor habitat, strengthen transparency in federal fisheries management); blocked by Senate Democrats. sponsor (attempted passage)
Money and influence
- DATA UNAVAILABLE
Pending donor data source: will be backfilled; never estimated
- FACT
Deputy whip for the Senate Republican Conference (119th Congress); chairs SASC Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee and Commerce Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries Subcommittee.
- FACT
Endorsement received: President Trump endorsed Sullivan's 2020 re-election campaign.
- ANALYSIS
Caucus memberships listed publicly include the Senate Taiwan Caucus (per Wikipedia; not from an official disclosure).
What happened after
No outcomes recorded yet.
- ALLEGATION
Challenger Mary Peltola (D) called Sullivan's bycatch push a "last-ditch, performative effort" in a fundraising email ahead of the Sept. 30 FEC deadline, saying Sullivan has taken nearly $300,000 from the trawl industry. The same reporting notes Peltola's own 2022 House campaign took about $10,000 from trawl executives and an industry PAC, and that she introduced her own bycatch bill in 2024. Status: campaign claim; challenger's characterization
Sources
- Wikipedia: Dan Sullivan
- sullivan.senate.gov: press releases
- Senate roll-call vote #253 (119th Cong., 2nd sess.)
- Ballotpedia News: Alaska 2026 Senate race
- Juneau Independent: South Korea lodges protest over Alaska gasline claim (2026-10-03)
- Reuters: $150M Alaska power lines announced as Vance campaigns in Senate battleground (2026-10-05)
- Daily Caller: Senate Majority PAC Epstein-themed ad, 2026-10-08
- Fox49: Trump Wasilla rally for Sullivan, 2026-10-09
- KTUU: Sullivan confirms Oct 13 rally attendance, 2026-10-08
- American Political Report (right-leaning; relay of Townhall report on Sullivan attack ad)
- news-usa.today
- Wall Street Journal (Oct 23)
Evidence
Related receipts
Receipt · PublishedThey promised Day One lower prices. Then groceries, gas, and health insurance all went up.Every factual item carries its source, date, and last-verified stamp. Items marked unavailable are genuinely missing. Never filled in.