Senator Mark Begich (D., Alaska), in an apparent attempt to split the anti-Begich vote, has started running ads in behalf of a third-party candidate in the race.

Begich is trailing Republican Senate nominee Dan Sullivan, so he has started spending money on behalf of Libertarian also-ran Mark Fish.

“The strategy hinges on what Begich’s campaign describes as a long list of positions that the Democrat shares with Fish,” according to the Alaska Dispatch News. “On issues like domestic surveillance and corporate personhood, [a Begich website] highlights views common to Begich and Fish, and contrasts them with Sullivan’s. And a new radio ad from Begich’s campaign says that only two candidates oppose the Patriot Act and wiretapping by the National Security Agency.”

It’s just the latest effort by Begich to muddy the waters. He has also angered Senator Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) by his refusal to take down an ad that uses her image without permission, in addition to running ads that imply he has the support of a nonprofit group that has not endorsed him.

You can read about that on the home page.