FAIRBANKS, Alaska — Alaska’s U.S. Senate race has attracted renewed national attention following a New York Times investigation alleging that political operatives associated with Democratic candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign worked to recruit additional candidates who could draw votes away from incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan.

The investigation, published Wednesday, October 28, reported that campaign advisers, attorneys and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee officials participated in discussions about recruiting potential candidates. According to the Times, the effort included identifying Alaskans who shared the incumbent senator’s name.

One of the candidates now appearing on Alaska’s general election ballot is Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher from Petersburg who shares a similar name with the incumbent. The Times reported that the recruitment effort was intended to affect the composition of Alaska’s four-candidate Senate ballot.

Peltola’s campaign has denied involvement with either Sullivan campaign. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has also denied participating in the recruitment of the Petersburg candidate.

The Times cited interviews, text messages and documents in its investigation. Former Peltola campaign manager Elisa Rios reportedly told the newspaper that Peltola was aware of the effort but was not directly involved. According to subsequent reporting, Rios later sought to retract her statements.

The investigation has generated responses from political leaders, including Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and President Donald Trump. Murkowski called for answers from Peltola, while Trump accused the campaign of election misconduct. Those accusations remain disputed.

The controversy comes during an unusually closely watched Alaska Senate election. National Republican and Democratic organizations have invested resources in the race as both parties compete for control of the U.S. Senate.

Alaska’s election system has also attracted attention. Under the state’s top-four primary and ranked-choice general election system, four candidates advance to the November ballot, regardless of party affiliation.

The dispute over the second Sullivan’s candidacy has already reached Alaska courts. State judges allowed his candidacy to proceed, while a separate federal lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice challenges how the election results could be certified under certain circumstances.

With Election Day approaching on November 3, the investigation adds another development to a Senate race receiving attention far beyond Alaska.

Reporting sources: The New York Times, Reuters, Alaska Public Media, ABC News and Alaska’s News Source.