The Slatest

Will Alaska Democrats’ Dirty Tricks Cost the Party a Senate Seat?

Trying to trick voters isn’t nice. Getting caught trying to trick voters isn’t smart.

Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by Jacquelyn Martin - Pool/Getty Images, Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images, and Daniel J. Sullivan for Senate.

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Next week’s U.S. Senate election in Alaska could come down to one letter. Under the state’s unique balloting system, three candidates are running to unseat Sen. Dan S. Sullivan: Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola, a bandana-wearing gadfly named Gerald Heikes, and … another Dan Sullivan. That other Dan Sullivan, whose middle initial is J , is a retired teacher who has previously voted Democrat , so his presence in the race quickly attracted suspicion. On Wednesday, the New York Times officially linked Dan J.…