Representative Jamie Raskin defended the ballot procedures surrounding Alaska’s Senate race and expressed strong confidence in Democratic prospects heading into the upcoming midterm elections. The Maryland congressman made his remarks during a Sunday appearance on NBC’s *Meet the Press*, where he also addressed internal party tensions in Michigan and ongoing federal disputes over election administration.
Raskin responded directly to a *New York Times* report alleging that aides to Democratic candidate Mary Peltola directed a staffer to identify multiple Alaska residents named Dan Sullivan for potential recruitment into the race , a move seen as an attempt to create confusion for Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan, who is seeking reelection. Peltola and her campaign have denied any involvement in the effort, and a former campaign manager who initially corroborated the account subsequently retracted her statements.
“I’m sure I would never do it. It’s stupid politics. Nobody would do that,” Raskin said when questioned about whether the maneuver constituted an ethical violation.
Raskin further argued that ballot regulations throughout the country allow candidates who share the same name to appear on the ballot, and noted that Alaska election officials had already taken steps to distinguish the Republican senator clearly on the ballot in order to prevent voter confusion.
“That’s the law across America,” Raskin said. “There are people who have the same name who are running in all 50 states. That happens all over the place. And nowhere is there a law which says, ‘If you have the same name as somebody who got on the ballot first, you can’t get on the ballot.'”
Raskin also rejected criticism from former President Donald Trump regarding the terminology used on Alaska’s ballots. “Donald Trump says people don’t know the word incumbent. He should speak for himself, because the vast majority of Americans obviously do,” Raskin said.
Shifting to broader concerns about voting integrity amid Justice Department legal challenges targeting mail-in voting procedures and voter rolls, Raskin argued that federal officials must refrain from interfering in locally administered election processes. His comments followed a federal judge’s ruling on Friday that prohibited the administration from intimidating state or local election workers.
“If the federal government stays out of it and lets the state government authorities actually run the election, the way that we always have, we will have free and fair elections,” Raskin said.
When asked directly whether Democrats would accept the outcome if Republicans secured control of Congress, Raskin pointed to prior election cycles as evidence of the party’s commitment to democratic norms.
“In 2024, we accepted it. So we accept the rule of law, and they are the ones who are constantly violating it,” Raskin said.
Raskin also minimized recent friction between Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed and primary rival Representative Haley Stevens over campaign messaging and Middle East policy in Michigan. He stated that he had spoken with both individuals the previous evening and anticipated strong Democratic unity at the polls come Tuesday.
“My wonderful friend Haley Stevens wants me to represent to you and everybody else I talk to that she is voting straight down the line on the Democratic ticket, and she’s going to be celebrating with Democrats across the country when we win on Tuesday night,” Raskin said, characterizing the dispute as an “inside the Beltway, inside baseball imbroglio.”
Should Democrats reclaim the House majority, Raskin stands to assume the chairmanship of the House Judiciary Committee. When asked how potential preemptive pardons issued by Trump might affect planned congressional oversight efforts, Raskin clarified that presidential pardons apply exclusively to federal criminal offenses, leaving civil proceedings and state-level investigations fully intact.
“Our recommendation would be, it seems ridiculous that we have to say it, is everybody should follow the law,” Raskin said, referencing disciplinary actions previously taken against attorneys affiliated with Trump.
Leave a Reply