Dan Sullivan (U.S. politician)

Daniel Scott "Dan" Sullivan (born November 13, 1964) is an American politician 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 in 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.

Early life and education
Sullivan was born and raised in Fairview Park, Ohio to Sandra (née Simmons) and Thomas C. Sullivan, a businessman. He was raised Irish Catholic.

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.

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. Sullivan is a recipient of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

Early legal career
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.

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.

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.

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, claiming Bethesda, Maryland as his primary residence for tax purposes.

Alaska Attorney General
Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg resigned in February 2009 over the Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal scandal. Governor Sarah Palin appointed Wayne Anthony Ross for the post, but the Alaska Legislature rejected the appointment. Palin appointed Sullivan instead, who 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. Sullivan's last day acting as Alaska's Attorney General was December 5, 2010.

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.

Committee assignments

 * Committee on Armed Services
 * Subcommittee on Airland
 * Subcommittee on Personnel
 * Subcommittee on Seapower
 * Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
 * Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
 * Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet
 * Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
 * Subcommittee on Science and Space
 * Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
 * Committee on Environment and Public Works
 * Subcommittee on Green Jobs and the New Economy (Chairman)
 * Committee on Veterans' Affairs

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. Sullivan was endorsed by the Club for Growth.

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.

On November 12, 2014, the Associated Press and CNN 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. On November 17, 2014, Begich conceded the election to Sullivan.

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

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. He opposes the Affordable Care Act and believes it should be repealed and replaced. Sullivan is against granting amnesty to illegal immigrants, and is a proponent of an "all-of-the-above" energy policy, including increased drilling for oil.

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