Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan Walks a Tricky Line on Tariffs as He Seeks Re-Election
Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska has shown quiet support for President Trump’s tariffs. His brother, the head of their family business, has described the economic volatility as an enormous challenge.
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In D.C., Senator Votes for Trump’s Tariffs. In Alaska, He Avoids the Topic.
Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska has shown quiet support for President Trump’s tariffs. His brother, the head of their family business, has described the economic volatility as an enormous challenge.
Senator Dan Sullivan talks with voters at the Harvest Fest at the Palmer State Fair Ground in Alaska.Credit...Ash Adams for The New York Times
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· 9:15 min
Sept. 14, 2026Updated 1:19 p.m. ET
In Washington, Senator Dan Sullivan has offered reliable support for President Trump’s tariffs, even as they have roiled the economy and angered consumers. But back home in Alaska, as he campaigns for re-election, he has stayed largely silent on the issue.
His calculation is similar to those of Republicans across the country, as they navigate backing Mr. Trump while also appealing to voters who give the president poor grades on his stewardship of the economy.
But it stands in stark contrast to the frustration expressed by Senator Sullivan’s older brother, the chief executive officer of their family manufacturing business.
His brother, Frank Sullivan, has described the tariffs as a huge headache in earnings calls for the company, RPM International, which makes a number of well-known products including Rust-Oleum, Roto-Rooter and The Pink Stuff.
“From a high-level perspective, we seem to have a whole of government that doesn’t like stability, whether it’s tariffs or government shutdowns and now war,” said Mr. Sullivan, on a call with analysts and investors in April. “That volatility, I think, is frustrating a lot of folks.”
To navigate that uncertainty, the company has relocated manufacturing, restructured deals with importers and stockpiled some materials. And it has also raised prices.
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Originally published by nytimes.com. Syndicated material does not necessarily reflect the views of Glamour Canada.
