Dan Sullivan endorsed Dan Sullivan over Dan Sullivan in Alaska's Senate race

Former Anchorage Mayor Dan A. Sullivan, a Republican, backed Sen. Dan S. Sullivan in a Facebook post on primary day. "As the OG Dan Sullivan, I urge Alaskans to vote for Sen. Daniel S. Sullivan," he wrote. "He's been great for Alaska."

The mayor ran Anchorage from 2009 to 2015. The senator has held his seat since 2015. The third, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. of Petersburg, filed for that seat in May and set off a months-long fight over whether he belonged on the ballot at all.

Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom opened an investigation in June, citing credible allegations that Sullivan Jr. had filed in coordination with another campaign intending to confuse voters. The Division of Elections pulled him from the primary ballot. He sued, and the Alaska Supreme Court reversed, finding the division had "abused its discretion." His name appeared on the Aug. 18 ballot.

According to the unofficial results from the primary election, he drew about 2.4 percent of the vote, roughly 3,200 people. The senator led the field. Both advanced, and they will face former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola in November under ranked choice voting.

The state's results report lists the senator as a Republican. It lists no party for Sullivan Jr. at all.

The former mayor's endorsement adds a third Sullivan to a race that already had one too many for the state's comfort. It changes nothing about the math. It is, however, the first time in recent Alaska history that a Dan Sullivan has had to clarify which Dan Sullivan he is endorsing, and distinguish himself from the Dan Sullivan he is not.