Alaska Governor Orders Probe of Senate Race Tactic

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has ordered an investigation into the state's competitive U.S. Senate race following a report that Democratic campaign operatives sought to recruit a third-party candidate.

The move comes with Election Day set for Tuesday, October 27. The investigation follows a New York Times article that detailed efforts by the Democratic campaign to field a candidate named Dan Sullivan.

Republicans argue the shared name could siphon votes away from incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan. They contend that the tactic is designed to confuse voters on the ballot. Democratic candidate Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman, is currently challenging the GOP incumbent in a race described as a toss-up.

Election law experts spoke to Alaska Public Media about the situation. They noted that no specific state laws appear to be violated by the conduct described in the report.

However, the experts stated that the actions cross established moral and ethical lines. The governor's office has not yet released the scope or timeline of the investigation.

Separately, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia from his post. Sylvia oversaw planning at the Pentagon and served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Hegseth has removed several senior military officers recently, often without providing detailed explanations. The Pentagon is currently investigating a leak related to the dismissal but has not shared specifics.

Sylvia was not involved in day-to-day operations regarding the Iran conflict. His removal occurs as the United States and Israel prepare for a new round of potential attacks against Iran.

The U.S. currently has two aircraft carriers stationed in the Arabian Sea. A third vessel, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, is en route to the region.

Greg Myre, a reporter for NPR, noted that it is unusual for the U.S. to station multiple carriers in one area. The last time three carriers were deployed to the Middle East was during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

In California, the Department of Justice has subpoenaed election workers in Los Angeles. The legal action is part of rising tensions between the Trump administration and state officials.

The federal effort aims to identify noncitizens on voter rolls. Meanwhile, more than 15,000 veterans have seen monthly mortgage payments rise by at least $150 since last year. This increase followed the shutdown of the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase program, which had helped veterans who fell behind on payments by rolling missed payments into new low-interest loans. Over 700 veterans reported payment increases of $1,000 or more.