Washington Democrats didn't just put a second "Dan Sullivan" in the Alaska Senate race — they also boosted Republican Gerald Heikes, a perennial candidate for office, with the help of Chuck Schumer and a longtime Alaska Democrat
consultant named Jim Lottsfeldt in a year-long effort to boost Democrat Mary Peltola in Tuesday's general election.
The New York Times report profiles the connections between Lottsfeldt, who works on pro-Peltola super PACs, and Peltola’s campaign staff, indicating they regularly met.
In 2013, Lottsfeldt founded Put Alaska First, and served as its treasurer of record. FEC filings show 86 percent of the PAC's funding came from Senate Majority PAC (SMP), which is Senate Democrat leadership’s PAC staffed with allies of Sen. Chuck Schumer. Lottsfeldt’s PAC also used the same media buyer as SMP.
Six years later in 2020, Lottsfeldt ran Independent Alaska, the super PAC behind Al Gross, who was the preferred candidate of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC).
In both 2022 and 2024, Lottsfeldt was the treasurer of Vote Alaska Before Party, another pro-Peltola super PAC that boosted Heikes' Congressional campaigns with millions in funding from House Majority PAC, the equivalent of SMP for House Democrats.
House Majority PAC, the super PAC of House Democratic leadership, gave Lottsfeldt’s PAC $1.7 million in 2022 and $4.48 million in October 2024.
Heikes’ 2026 effort made the general election ballot after Democrat David Leslie, the initial fourth-place finisher in the primary, withdrew from the race.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered an investigation into the ballot-stacking scheme last week, Breitbart News reported, citing the “disturbing new evidence of an organized effort to manipulate Alaska's elections.”
Lottsfeldt denied involvement with the pro-Heikes effort, but a super PAC called Alaska Values spent $1.7 million boosting spoiler candidates including Heikes, with Lottsfeldt listed on paperwork as a consultant for the committee. The New York Times report states Alaska Values filings show Lottsfeldt requested radio time for the PAC in October.
Follow Matt Mercer on X: @mattmercer.
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