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JUNEAU, Alaska — <\/span>A man with the same name<\/a> and party affiliation as Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan is eligible to challenge the senator in the August primary, a judge ruled Friday.<\/p>\n Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews\u2019 ruling overturns a June 15 decision by Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher to disqualify the challenger<\/a> and keep him off the primary ballot. Matthews\u2019 ruling can be appealed to the state Supreme Court.<\/p>\n Attorneys for the state have said Tuesday is the deadline for a final ruling so that ballots for the Aug. 18 primary can be printed.<\/p>\n The judge ruled that the Division\u2019s decision to exclude Dan J. Sullivan because his candidacy was not \u201cin good faith\u201d was not based on the Constitution, Alaska law or the Division\u2019s own regulations. The retired teacher from the small fishing community of Petersburg filed to challenge the incumbent.<\/p>\n \u201cInstead, the decision was based upon a new, previously unstated, \u2018good faith\u2019 criteria,\u201d the judge wrote.<\/p>\n Attorneys for the state did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday\u2019s ruling. Jeffrey Robertson, Dan J. Sullivan’s attorney, said in an email he expects the Division to appeal the ruling and couldn’t comment until the Alaska Supreme Court rules on the case.<\/p>\n The controversy over the two Dan Sullivans has underscored the stakes involved in the incumbent\u2019s reelection campaign. The Alaska race is one of about half a dozen U.S. Senate races expected to be highly competitive in the fall, and the seat is one Democrats are trying to flip in their efforts to try to regain the majority.<\/p>\n The senator<\/a> and allies, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee, have condemned the challenger\u2019s efforts to join the race, arguing his presence could confuse voters. Under Alaska\u2019s election system, the top four candidates from the primary, regardless of party, move on to the ranked-choice November general election.<\/p>\n The senator<\/a> has accused the challenger Sullivan of working with Democrats and the campaign of Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola \u2014 who is considered the senator\u2019s main opponent \u2014 to cause confusion and boost Peltola\u2019s chances. Peltola\u2019s campaign and state Democrats have denied the allegation, as has the challenger. <\/p>\n Sen. Sullivan and Peltola are the highest-profile candidates in the crowded race and the only ones to report raising any money.<\/p>\n Beecher has said she determined the challenger Sullivan is not eligible to run because his candidacy was not filed in good faith and instead was done with an intent to confuse voters. She said he had registered to vote as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. and, in conjunction with his candidacy, changed his party affiliation to Republican. She also cited similarities between his campaign website and the senator\u2019s, and his work with a consultant whose clients have included some Democrats. She did not mention finding any evidence of alleged coordination.<\/p>\n In arguing to keep the challenger disqualified, attorneys for the state pushed back on suggestions the ballot could be designed in a way to reduce voter confusion over two candidates with the same name and party running for the same office. <\/p>\n \u201cThe Constitution does not require States to place a sham candidate on the ballot and then attempt to mitigate the damage through design choices,\u201d attorney Rachel Witty, with the Alaska Department of Law, and outside attorneys Christopher Murray and Michael Francisco wrote in court filings.<\/p>\n