Dan Sullivan (U.S. Senator)

Dan Sullivan
United States Senator
from Alaska
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Serving with Lisa Murkowski
Preceded by Mark Begich
Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources
In office
December 6, 2010 – September 24, 2013
Governor Sean Parnell
Preceded by Thomas E. Irwin
Succeeded by Joe Balash
27th Attorney General of Alaska
In office
June 17, 2009 – November 30, 2010
Governor Sarah Palin
Sean Parnell
Preceded by Talis Colberg
Succeeded by John J. Burns
Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs
In office
June 6, 2006 – January 1, 2009
President George W. Bush
Preceded by Earl Wayne
Succeeded by Jose Fernandez
Personal details
Born Daniel Scott Sullivan
(1964-11-13) November 13, 1964
Fairview Park, Ohio, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Julie Fate
Children 3
Education Harvard University (BA)
Georgetown University (MS, JD)
Military service
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch  United States Marine Corps
Years of service 1993–1997 (Active)
1997–present (Reserve)
Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Unit United States Marine Corps Reserve
Commands 6th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company
Battles/wars War in Afghanistan
Awards Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Daniel Scott Sullivan (born November 13, 1964) is an American politician, lawyer and member of the Republican Party who has served as the junior United States Senator from Alaska since January 2015.

Born in Ohio, Sullivan earned degrees from Harvard University and Georgetown University, interning at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. After graduating in 1993, he joined the United States Marine Corps, leaving active duty in 1997. He has since served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and was recalled to active duty from 2004 to 2006 and in 2009 and 2013.

Between 1997 and 1999, he clerked for judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Alaska Supreme Court. He worked in private practice in Anchorage, Alaska from 2000 to 2002, then moved to Maryland to work for the federal government, first with the National Economic Council and National Security Council, then as Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs.

Sullivan then returned to Alaska, serving first as Alaska Attorney General from 2009 to 2010, then as Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources from 2010 to 2013. He resigned from office in September of that year to run for the United States Senate seat held by Democrat Mark Begich in the 2014 election. In August 2014, Sullivan won the Republican primary, defeating Alaska Lieutenant Governor Mead Treadwell and 2010 Senate nominee Joe Miller. After a close race, he defeated Begich in the general election by 47.96% to 45.83%, a margin of 6,014 votes out of 282,400 cast.[1]

Early life and education

Sullivan was born and raised in Fairview Park, Ohio, the son of Sandra (née Simmons) and Thomas C. Sullivan, currently the President and CEO of RPM International, a holding company founded by his own father, Frank C. Sullivan.[2]

He attended Culver Military Academy in Indiana and graduated in 1983. In 1987, Sullivan graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 1993, he earned a J.D.-M.S.F.S. joint degree from Georgetown University, graduating cum laude. He was a member of the Georgetown Law Journal and interned for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.[3]

Military service

Sullivan has served in the United States Marine Corps since 1993, both on active duty and in the reserves. Sullivan, who has spent several years with a reconnaissance battalion based in Anchorage, Alaska, initially left active duty in 1997 when he first moved to Alaska, but has since been recalled to active duty three times: From 2004 to 2006, again in early 2009, and for a six-week tour in Afghanistan in July 2013.[4] He was recommended for promotion in 2011 to Lt. Colonel by then-retired General John Abizaid, a board member of the Sullivan family-based RPM International corporation since 2008. Sullivan is a recipient of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.[5]

Sullivan served as a judicial law clerk for Judge Andrew Kleinfeld of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Fairbanks from 1997 to 1998. He then clerked for Chief Justice Warren Matthews of the Alaska Supreme Court in Anchorage from 1998–99.[6]

In 2000, Sullivan joined the Anchorage office of the Perkins Coie law firm, focusing on commercial law and corporate law. He had joined the Alaska bar that same year.[6]

Early political career

White House and State Department

In 2002, Sullivan began work in the Washington, D.C. area, where he headed the International Economics Directorate of the National Economic Council and National Security Council staffs at the White House. Sullivan advised the President of the United States – then George W. Bush – along with the National Security Advisor and NEC chairman. Sullivan left the White House in 2004.[5]

In 2006, Sullivan was appointed by President Bush to the post of United States Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs. The United States Senate unanimously confirmed Sullivan in May of that year. Sullivan served in this capacity until January 2009. While serving as Assistant Secretary of State he owned a house in Anchorage and continued to vote in Alaska elections by absentee ballot,[7] claiming Bethesda, Maryland as his primary residence for tax purposes.[8]

Alaska Attorney General

Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg resigned in February 2009 over the Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal scandal. Governor Sarah Palin nominated Wayne Anthony Ross to be Attorney General, but the Alaska Legislature rejected the appointment. Palin then nominated Sullivan instead.[9] He was sworn into office in June 2009, while the Alaska Legislature was out of session. The Alaska Legislature unanimously confirmed Sullivan's appointment on April 9, 2010.[10]

Sullivan, who had been retained by Governor Sean Parnell, stepped down as Alaska's Attorney General on December 5, 2010, to be replaced by John Burns, who was nominated by Parnell on November 31, 2010.[11][12]

Alaska DNR Commissioner

On November 18, 2010, shortly after being elected, Alaska Governor Sean Parnell appointed Sullivan as Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, replacing former Commissioner Thomas E. Irwin. In 2013, during his term in office, Sullivan was deployed to Afghanistan for six weeks, in his role as the executive officer of the 4th Marine Division's Anti-Terrorism Battalion.[13] He supported the proposed Pebble Mine, and opposed Native subsistence priorities.[14]

United States Senate

2014 election

On October 15, 2013, he announced that he was running for the United States Senate seat held by Democrat Mark Begich in the 2014 election.[15] Sullivan was endorsed by the Club for Growth.[16] His 2013 year-end campaign finance report showed that of $1.2 million total campaign contributions, more than $400,000 came from Ohio. Donors included individuals with close ties to a corporation founded by his grandfather and managed by his brother, RPM International.[17]

Despite a late-race endorsement of 2010 party nominee Joe Miller by Sarah Palin, Sullivan won the Republican primary on August 19, 2014, with 40% of the vote, and 32% and 25% for Miller and Treadwell respectively.[18][19]

On November 12, 2014, the Associated Press[1] and CNN[20] declared that Sullivan defeated Begich in the general election by about 8,000 votes—48.6 to 45.4 percent. At the time of the Associated Press call, there were approximately 31,000 votes left to count and Begich refused to concede.[21] On November 17, 2014, Begich conceded the election to Sullivan.[22]

Alaska Agreement

On June 10, 2014, Sullivan offered his opponent, Mark Begich, the Alaska Agreement.[23] This was a modified version of the People’s Pledge. This tactic had previously been used in the Massachusetts 2012 U.S. Senate race between Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown to drastically limit outside, third party spending.[23]

Begich refused the Alaska Agreement.[23] According to Ballotpedia, outside spending in the race went on to hit nearly $40 million.[24]

Tenure

Sullivan was sworn into office on January 6, 2015, by Vice President Joe Biden.

Committee assignments

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Senators Joni Ernst, Dan Sullivan, John McCain, Tom Cotton, Lindsey Graham, and Cory Gardner attending the 2016 International Institute for Strategic Studies Asia Security Summit in Singapore

Political positions

Sullivan opposes abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, or threat to the life of the mother; he also has voiced his opposition to same-sex marriage.[25] He opposes the Affordable Care Act and believes it should be repealed and replaced. Sullivan is against granting amnesty for undocumented immigrants, and is a proponent of an "all-of-the-above" energy policy, including increased drilling for oil.[26] He also opposed then presidential candidate Donald J. Trump during the 2016 presidential race, releasing a statement that said, "We need national leaders who can lead by example on this critical issue. The reprehensible revelations about Donald Trump have shown that he can't. Therefore, I am withdrawing my support for his candidacy."[27] Since his statements in October, 2016, Senator Sullivan has gone on to vote "yes" on every nominee of President Trump's cabinet.[28]

Personal life

While at Georgetown, he met fellow law student Julie Fate, the daughter of retired dentist and former Alaska State Representative Hugh "Bud" Fate.[5] The two eventually married and have three daughters.[5] When they met, Julie was a staffer for U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens.[5] Julie grew up in a traditional Athabaskan family.[5] Sullivan's mother-in-law is Mary Jane Fate, who was once the co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives.[5]

Electoral history

Alaska U.S. Senate Republican Primary - 2014
Party Candidates Votes %
Republican Dan Sullivan 44,740 40.05
Republican Joe Miller 35,904 32.14
Republican Mead Treadwell 27,807 24.90
Republican John Jaramillo 3,246 2.91
Alaska U.S. Senate Election - 2014
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Sullivan 135,445 47.96
Democrat Mark Begich 129,431 45.83
Libertarian Mark Fish 10,512 3.72
Independent Ted Gianoutsos 5,636 2.00
Write-ins Write-ins 1,376 0.49

References

  1. 1 2 Bohrer, Becky. Republican Dan Sullivan wins Senate race in Alaska, Associated Press, November 12, 2014.
  2. ↑ . Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  3. ↑ Biography, community.adn.com; accessed November 6, 2014.
  4. ↑ DNR Commissioner Dan Sullivan Deployed to Afghanistan. Anchorage Daily News, July 22, 2013; retrieved July 31, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lisa Demer (April 19, 2014). "Candidate profile: Dan Sullivan, Marine and ex-resources chief, aims for US Senate seat". Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Profile, adn.com, April 19, 2014; accessed November 7, 2014.
  7. ↑ Profile, adn.com; accessed November 6, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Tax assessor says Alaska's Senate hopeful was Md. resident". The Hill. September 30, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  9. ↑ Article 3 - The Executive, law.justia.com; accessed September 9, 2016.
  10. ↑ Alaska legislature unanimously confirms Sullivan, adn.com; accessed November 6, 2014.
  11. ↑ Alaska Attorney General John Burns begins work, Fairbanks Daily News Miner, December 27, 2010.
  12. ↑ Jessica M. Karmasek,Burns is Alaska's new attorney general, Legal NewsLine, December 1, 2010; retrieved September 9, 2016.
  13. ↑ "DNR Commissioner Dan Sullivan Deployed to Afghanistan", adn.com, July 22, 2013; accessed November 6, 2014.
  14. ↑ Examining Sullivan's and Begich's record on Alaska Native issues, Alaska Dispatch News, Heather Kendall-Miller & Lloyd Miller, August 31, 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  15. ↑ "Former DNR Commissioner Dan Sullivan enters U.S. Senate race". Anchorage Daily News. September 15, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Club for Growth Backs Sullivan in Alaska Race". RealClearPolitics. March 12, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  17. ↑ Sullivan's Cleveland connections provide cash boost in Alaska's US Senate race, by Dermot Cole, Alaska Dispatch News, Feb. 21, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Sarah Palin endorses Joe Miller in Alaska Senate race", Washington Post, August 15, 2014; retrieved August 22, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Sullivan declares victory in high- takes GOP Senate primary", Alaska Dispatch News, Dermot Cole, August 20, 2014; retrieved August 22, 2014.
  20. ↑ Peligri, Justin. Republican challenger defeats Begich in Alaska Senate race, CNN, November 12, 2014.
  21. ↑ Walshe, Shushanna. Alaska Senate Race: Why Democrat Mark Begich Refuses To Concede, ABC News, November 12, 2014.
  22. ↑ Joseph, Cameron. Begich concedes Alaska Senate race, The Hill, November 17, 2014.
  23. 1 2 3 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2014/06/10/the-peoples-pledge-is-back-in-alaska-wait-what-the-heck-is-that/
  24. ↑ https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_elections_in_Alaska,_2014
  25. ↑ Alaska Republicans focus on social issues in debate, thehill.com; accessed November 6, 2014.
  26. ↑ http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Dan_Sullivan.htm
  27. ↑ "Full statements on Donald Trump from Alaska Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan". Alaska Dispatch News. 2016-12-13. Retrieved 2017-02-08.
  28. ↑ Andrews, Wilson (2017-01-31). "How Each Senator Voted on Trump’s Cabinet and Administration Nominees". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-02-08.
Legal offices
Preceded by
Talis Colberg		 Attorney General of Alaska
2009–2010 		Succeeded by
John Burns
Party political offices
Preceded by
Ted Stevens		 Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Alaska
(Class 2)
2014 		Most recent
U.S. Senate
Preceded by
Mark Begich		 United States Senator (Class 2) from Alaska
2015–present
Served alongside: Lisa Murkowski		 Incumbent
Current U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Ben Sasse		 United States Senators by seniority
92nd 		Succeeded by
Chris Van Hollen
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