Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska said Tuesday that some voters have contacted him to apologize after realizing they may have mistakenly voted for another candidate named Dan Sullivan in the state's U.S. Senate election.

"I've heard from people who think they've voted for the wrong guy and have apologized to me. Just like I said, the scheme is working," Sullivan said.

The controversy centers on two candidates with nearly identical names: incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan and retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., who is also running for the Senate as a Republican. Sullivan has accused allies of Democratic nominee Mary Peltola of helping recruit the second candidate to split Republican votes and create confusion among voters.

A New York Times investigation reported that Democratic operatives connected to Peltola's campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee were involved in efforts to recruit another candidate named Dan Sullivan. Peltola has denied knowing about or participating in the effort, while the allegations have prompted state and federal investigations.

The Justice Department also filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent Alaska from certifying the election under certain circumstances if the incumbent loses. U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed the lawsuit, citing concerns about ballot secrecy, the feasibility of determining voter intent and the timing of the proposed changes. The department said it would appeal.

Sullivan has repeatedly warned that the presence of another candidate with the same name could divert votes from the incumbent. His latest remarks suggest he believes the confusion has reached voters during the final hours of the election. However, because ballots are secret, individual claims about mistaken votes cannot independently establish how many voters were affected.