FBI interviews 12 donors in Petersburg over $7,150 in campaign funds

Federal agents are now interviewing residents of Petersburg, Alaska, about a local Senate race that has drawn national attention. The FBI visited the homes of a dozen contributors to the campaign of Dan J. Sullivan, a former elementary school teacher. These donors collectively gave $7,150 to Sullivan, who is challenging the incumbent Republican senator, Dan S. Sullivan, in a primary election.

Sharon Hunter, a Petersburg resident, said agents knocked on her door on Saturday. She and her husband donated $1,000 to Dan J. Sullivan. Hunter described the investigation as a waste of taxpayer money. She noted that the agents are focusing on a man who has been a positive force in the community. Anna Holmes and her husband received a similar visit on Friday evening. The agents told Holmes they were investigating campaign finance violations.

The investigation follows a federal lawsuit filed by the Trump administration. The suit sought to reinstate efforts to remove Dan J. Sullivan from the ballot. A federal judge dismissed the case on Sunday, and the Department of Justice filed an appeal. The legal dispute centers on a strategy known as ballot stacking, where a candidate runs to split the vote of a favored opponent.

Petersburg, a town of 3,000 people known as Little Norway, is now the focus of this federal probe. Most of the donors interviewed by the FBI live in this small fishing community. Retired fisherman Ed Wood said he donated $1,000 to Dan J. Sullivan as a thank-you for his help in a ten-year battle to stop the state from logging a hillside above the town. Charles Flint, a retired boat salesman, described Sullivan as a progressive thinker who sometimes voted for Republicans. Flint said he believes Sullivan may now regret entering the race.

Dan J. Sullivan has not been seen in town for weeks. His rustic home was dark the day after FBI agents spoke with his friends. He last spoke to reporters in June, when he said he had no contact with the campaign of Democrat Mary Peltola. Peltola, the former federal representative challenging Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, denied any role in the strategy. She told supporters in Anchorage that Alaskans do not usually try to trick each other.

The controversy has sparked mixed reactions in Petersburg. Amanda Ohmer, a waitress at the local Moose Lodge, said she was shocked when her former teacher entered the race as a Republican. She supports the federal investigation and finds the local defense of Sullivan uncomfortable. Conversely, other residents view the scrutiny as excessive for a small-town political move. The town remains under the watchful eye of federal agents while the state race heats up.

Alaska allows candidates to run in primaries without declaring a party affiliation in some cases, which facilitates these strategies. About 60% of the state's 600,000 registered voters identify as independents. The high number of unaffiliated voters makes split-ticket voting and strategic candidate placement common in the state's close elections.