During a discussion on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Attorney General Todd Blanche clashed with host Dana Bash after she only referenced part of the Constitution’s Elections Clause. This confrontation arose amid the Justice Department’s lawsuit concerning two candidates with nearly identical names in Alaska’s hotly contested Senate race.
Blanche objected when Bash pointed out an Alaska Supreme Court ruling, which allowed Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., who has the same name as the current Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, to stay on the ballot. He insisted that CNN should also present the rest of the constitutional clause, which empowers Congress to regulate federal elections.
“You showcased a section of the Constitution on your screen, but only highlighted the first part. Why not display the clause that allows Congress to pass laws ensuring that this is managed properly? Please show that to your audience,” he remarked.
This exchange revolved around Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution, which grants state legislatures the power to set procedures for congressional elections while also allowing Congress to enact or amend those regulations.
Blanche asserted that the second half of this provision justified the federal government’s involvement based on current federal law. He stated, “The later clause indicates that Congress may, at any time, enact laws, and we have such a law that underpins our recent lawsuit.”
The lawsuit from the Justice Department is based on the National Voter Registration Act, claiming that permitting a candidate who the DOJ alleges might confuse voters to remain on the ballot jeopardizes election integrity. The DOJ’s complaint seeks to postpone election certification if votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. might affect the final results.
Furthermore, the lawsuit accused the challenger of intentionally trying to mislead voters by using a name closely resembling that of the incumbent.
In response to Bash’s handling of the constitutional language, David Bozell, president of the Media Research Center, criticized CNN for not providing a full context in their presentation. He said, “An anchor presenting half a provision on election integrity is like performing a magic trick—it fell apart in real-time. Bash should offer the entire text. CNN owes its few viewers all of the details, and some better editing skills.”
This lawsuit follows a ruling from June by the Alaska Supreme Court, permitting the challenger to be on the ballot despite pushback from state election officials. The court left it to the state’s Division of Elections to determine how his name would be displayed.
The complaint stated, “Daniel J. Sullivan chose to run for Senate in 2026 as a Republican with the intent to mislead supporters of Senator Sullivan into voting for him.”
Concerns have been raised by Republicans that the challenger, a retired teacher from Petersburg, is trying to draw votes away from the incumbent. However, Daniel J. Sullivan denies these claims and insists his candidacy is genuine.
Interestingly, former President Donald Trump commented on the situation, stating that he encouraged the Justice Department to take legal action. He mentioned, “I was the one who said to pursue it.”
The Justice Department’s lawsuit is facing resistance from voting rights organizations and the campaign of Democratic candidate Mary Peltola, both of whom have attempted to intervene in the lawsuit. The American Civil Liberties Union has argued that the National Voter Registration Act outlines voter registration processes but does not grant authority to obstruct election certification due to candidate naming issues.
