The Gateway Pundit (TGP) says the New York Times reported that Democratic consultant Jerid Kurtz was involved in recruiting a second Daniel J. Sullivan to appear on Alaska’s U.S. Senate ballot, with texts the Times reviewed allegedly tying Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) officials and aides to Rep. Mary Peltola to the effort.
What the Times reporting, as cited by TGP, describes
According to TGP’s summary of the Times, the push began in summer 2025 to place “spoiler” candidates on Alaska’s four-person ballot. In an early meeting, DSCC aides introduced Kurtz—described by Ms. Rios as a veteran operative—to Peltola’s then–chief of staff, Anton McParland, TGP reports the Times as saying.
Ms. Rios said, per the Times, that by early 2026 Kurtz “told us when he found him,” referring to one of the Dan Sullivans living in Petersburg, and that Kurtz said this Sullivan “said he hated Trump, and if it was going to help Mary, he liked Mary. He didn’t have any interest in being a politician, but if this could help.”
TGP asserts the Times “confirmed” that Peltola’s campaign recruited a “decoy” Dan Sullivan to confuse voters, but Digital Dredger has not reviewed the Times story directly.
Texts and calls the Times reviewed, per TGP
TGP says texts viewed by the Times show DSCC and Peltola campaign officials coordinating calls about the project over months. McParland sought updates from “Jarid,” “Jared,” or “our friend,” and DSCC officials scheduled calls, the outlet reports the Times found. Ms. Rios said participants sometimes chatted casually and that Kurtz “used pseudonyms and cover stories” to keep his work discreet, according to TGP’s account of the Times.
One January message from McParland read, “I am hearing that our friend in the state is being noticed,” with DSCC campaigns director Andrew Piatt replying, “We will check in,” TGP quotes the Times as reporting. The Times also reported McParland did not respond to multiple requests for comment, per TGP.
Aftermath noted by TGP
Since being identified, Kurtz has deleted his social media accounts and the website for Wingspan Strategies, the firm he co-owns, TGP reports.
