Judge Dismisses Justice Department Lawsuit That Sought to Block Certification of Alaska's Senate Race

A federal judge has dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska's U.S. Senate race if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan loses, the Associated Press reported in its News Summary at 6:38 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, a file opened and read directly by the desk this run.

The race is among the country's most closely watched and is among a handful expected to determine control of the chamber, the AP reported. Sullivan's main challenger in Tuesday's ranked-choice general election is Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola. The race includes two other candidates who have done almost no campaigning, one of whom shares the incumbent's name.

The lawsuit called for an investigation into whether votes cast for the other Sullivan were intended for the senator, the AP reported. Attorneys for the state and for Peltola said the lawsuit lacked any legal basis. The AP summary carried no statement from the Justice Department in the file the desk read, and none is claimed here.

For Florida voters the ruling's weight is national, and that is the door it travels through: Senate control will be decided by a handful of races on Tuesday, and a federal court has now removed a Justice Department attempt to hold up certification of one of them before a single ballot is counted. Duval County's own polls open Tuesday at 7 a.m. Eastern.