Democrats, voting-rights groups challenge Trump's bid to block Alaska Senate certification

NEW: Democrats and voting-rights groups sue to block Trump's bid to stop certification of a Democratic Senate victory in Alaska, with filings from candidate Mary Peltola's campaign, the DSCC and the League of Women Voters.

The Justice Department wants to stop Alaska from certifying its own Senate election. Now Democrats and voting rights groups are in court to block that.

The background is strange. Two men named Daniel Sullivan are on the ballot, the incumbent Republican senator and a challenger with a near identical name. The DOJ sued on October 22, asking a judge to bar certification if the incumbent loses. President Trump told reporters he personally ordered it, saying, I am the one that said do it.

On Friday, Mary Peltola's campaign, the Democratic Senate committee, the League of Women Voters and Common Cause all filed to join the case. They argue the executive branch has no legal authority over state run elections, and early voting is already underway. Even Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said the department should never have filed this lawsuit.

A president ordering his Justice Department to block a state's election result before the votes are counted. That is the fact to sit with tonight.

This is Angel Manalo, reporting for HIT.