Who Is Dan Sullivan's Wife? New Details On Julie Fate Sullivan
They have three teenage daughters.
getty Dan Sullivan may not be too well known but since 2015, he’s served as a junior U.S. Senator from Alaska. He’s not only a good friend of fellow Alaskan Lisa Murkowski, but he’s also a former Marine, being recalled to active duty twice.
Before becoming a Senator, Sullivan was a clerk for judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Alaska Supreme Court, worked in a private law practice, served as the Alaska Attorney General, and as Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.
As a Republican, he’s adopted the same conservative mindset as his colleagues and defended Brett Kavanaugh amid his sexual assault and misconduct allegations.
But outside of politics, he seems to be quite the family man. Which begs the question: who is Dan Sullivan’s wife? Believe it or not, she’s well-known in their community and has supported her husband every step of the way. Here are 8 things to know about Julie Fate and their relationship.
1. They met in law school.
Both Fate and Sullivan attended Georgetown and met there. Fate was a staffer for Senator Ted Stevens, a Republican from Alaska, at the time.
2. They’ve been married for almost 25 years.
The couple eventually married in 1994 in Fate’s hometown of Fairbanks, Alaska.
3. They have three children.
The couple has three teenage daughters named Meghan, Isabella and Laurel. The family likes to spend a lot of time together and are very outdoorsy.
4. She’s an Alaska native.
Fate grew up in Alaska as part of a traditional Athabaskan family that dates back generations. Her mother, Mary Jane Fate, was co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives, and her father, Bud Fate, is a former Republican state legislator and dentist
5. They moved back to Alaska.
When the couple first met, Fate recalls that her family immediately took a liking to him and tried to give him an idea of their lifestyle. According to her, “I think my dad, the first thing he did was hand Dan a shovel. Put him to work digging our outhouse.”
In an ad from 2014, she said, “We met while I was working for Sen. Ted Stevens, and the first place I brought Dan was to my family's fish camp on the Yukon River. He fell hard for me — and for Alaska. And after Dan completed his active duty service in the Marines, we came home to Fairbanks to raise our family.”
Sullivan was born and raised in Ohio, but Fate’s family considered him an Alaskan, as did Sullivan himself. “I wanted to follow her wherever she wanted to go. She said, ‘Let’s go back to Alaska,’ and I said, ‘Roger that.’” So, in 1997, when he finished his active duty in California, they returned to Alaska for good.
6. She’s a writer.
Fate is a former journalist and writer, and was also involved in politics as an aide.
7. She’s also an activist.
The Sullivans participate in the Choose Respect March every year, which brings awareness to sexual assault and domestic violence.
8. She helped campaign for him.
In 2014, when Sullivan was running for a spot in the Senate, Fate was there by his side the entire time. She also accompanied Lisa Murkowski to the Association of Village Council President’s Convention in Bethel Tuesday, where Murkowski also campaigned for Sullivan.
“It’s a better understanding of who he is. We’re a family obviously. When people realize that not only am I born and raised in Alaska, but I’m Alaska Native, there’s a better understanding. Like I said, there’s a lot of misinformation out there,” Fate said.
Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.