Alaska Investigates Alleged Ballot-Stacking Scheme Tied to Democratic Consultant

Alaska officials are investigating allegations that Democratic operatives worked to influence the state’s Senate race by supporting Republican candidates who could split the GOP vote, according to a New York Times report cited by Breitbart News.

The investigation centers on Jim Lottsfeldt, a longtime Alaska Democratic consultant, and his ties to efforts benefiting Democrat Mary Peltola ahead of Tuesday’s general election. The reporting describes regular meetings between Lottsfeldt, who works on pro-Peltola super PACs, and Peltola’s campaign staff.

Lottsfeldt has a long history running Alaska super PACs funded largely by national Democratic groups. In 2013, he founded Put Alaska First, serving as its treasurer. Federal Election Commission filings show 86 percent of that PAC’s funding came from Senate Majority PAC, which is aligned with Senate Democratic leadership and Sen. Chuck Schumer. The two PACs also used the same media buyer.

In 2020, Lottsfeldt ran Independent Alaska, a super PAC that backed Al Gross, the candidate favored by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

In both 2022 and 2024, he served as treasurer of Vote Alaska Before Party, another pro-Peltola super PAC. That group helped fund congressional campaigns by Republican candidate Gerald Heikes, a perennial office-seeker, using money from House Majority PAC — the House equivalent of Senate Majority PAC. House Majority PAC gave Lottsfeldt’s PAC $1.7 million in 2022 and $4.48 million in October 2024.

Heikes made it onto this year’s general election ballot after Democrat David Leslie, who had initially finished fourth in the primary, withdrew from the race.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered an investigation last week, citing what he called “disturbing new evidence of an organized effort to manipulate Alaska’s elections,” Breitbart News reported.

Lottsfeldt has denied any involvement with the effort to boost Heikes’ candidacy. However, a super PAC called Alaska Values spent $1.7 million supporting spoiler candidates, including Heikes, and paperwork lists Lottsfeldt as a consultant for that committee. According to the New York Times report, Alaska Values filings show Lottsfeldt requested radio time for the PAC in October.