John Densy refuses to congratulate Will Huxton on election win

TRIETON, Mon. -- Outgoing Monomi Governor John Densy spent election night celebrating with his fellow Conservatives, but there was one Conservative colleague he purposely snubbed.

Monomi Attorney General Will Huxton (C) won a rare three-way race for governor, defeating Nationalist businesswoman Beth Gowan and former Governor Scott King, who ran as a write-in candidate after being stripped of the NAT's nomination.

Huxton took 40 percent (1.9 million votes), while Gowan ended with 33.5 percent (1.6 million) and King with 22 percent (1.07 million). Four percent of votes went to other minor party candidates (194,000).

Most Conservatives were energized when Scott King resigned as the NAT's candidate due to allegations of rape and sexual misconduct. King was replaced by Gowan, but the former governor chose to continue his campaign in protest as a write-in candidate.

The NAT's intra-party feud split the party into two camps - Gowan's and King's - and allowed Conservative Will Huxton to coast to an easy win.

But not every Conservative was celebrating Huxton's win.

Outgoing Governor John Densy - who is barred from seeking re-election due to term limits - refused to congratulate Huxton on his win.

Right away, Densy tweeted congratulations to Conservative Assemblyman Brooke Burnstein, who won the state's Senate race. And Densy posted similar congratulations on his Twitter account for other Conservative candidates who won state and local races.

But notably missing from the list of tributes was his heir to the governorship, Will Huxton.

Huxton supporters took notice of Densy's snub and responded.

"John Densy's latest snub of Will Huxton is just another example of the childish behavior that Mr. Densy has stooped to during this campaign," Huxton campaign manager Carey Barnes said in an interview at Huxton's victory party.

The governor and governor-elect have tangled since the beginning of the election campaign.

The two-term Densy made no secret of his distaste for Huxton early on when he declined to endorse the attorney general.

Densy also criticized Huxton for his hardline rhetoric on immigration.

"I think this fear-mongering about illegal immigration does nothing to solve the problem, it just stirs up emotions and gets people riled up," Densy told the GBC when asked about Huxton's anti-immigration views.

In the waning days of the race, reports surfaced that Densy was planning to vote for Nationalist Beth Gowan instead of Huxton, a grave sin to commit against a fellow Conservative.

Densy denied the rumors, but he also declined to support Huxton.

"Just like every Monomian, my vote is private and personal," he told the Trieton Sun newspaper.

The day after the election, Densy also slammed Huxton for running a "horrible" campaign, pointing out that Huxton only received 40 percent of the vote.

"Monomi is a conservative state, he should have gotten at least a majority, especially with the center-left vote split," Densy told a Trieton television station.

Though he did not mention Densy by name, when asked to respond, Huxton said it was "ironic that someone who accomplished very little over eight years in office is so opinionated about the person replacing him."

He later said the term-limited Densy's "star is fading."

"It's time to move forward. We have to move past Scott King. We have to move past John Densy. Monomi is moving forward and we're not looking back, and I'm honored to lead our state into the future."

Teedra Police: 2 officers gunned down on city's south side

TEEDRA, Monomi -- A massive manhunt is underway in Monomi after two police officers were shot and killed while on patrol Saturday night.

Teedra Police Chief Garth Harmon told local media that two officers with his department were parked in their patrol vehicle in an empty parking lot in south Teedra when they were gunned down just before 11:00 pm Western Time.

The names of the officers have not been released yet, but Harmon confirmed one was a male officer and the other a female.

It is believed the officers were sitting in their vehicle doing paperwork when the gunmen struck. The officers did not radio for help, leading investigators to determine the attack occurred quickly and without warning.

"The officers had no time to call for back-up, this was a very quick ambush that was over in a matter of seconds or perhaps minutes," Harmon said.

The officers did return fire, but both were struck multiple times. Authorities believe more than one gunman was involved, based on the number of bullet holes and injuries.

The Emerald Park Shopping Center, where the gun battle occurred, was largely empty at the time of the shooting, but a few employees in nearby stores saw the attack from a distance and called 911.

Witnesses provided police with a rough description of the suspects' vehicle, which Harmon described as a tan or light brown sedan with a loud stereo system.

After the attack, the vehicle sped away, heading west on Markin Boulevard.

Authorities are reviewing security camera footage from businesses in the shopping center.

Meanwhile, the Emerald Park Shopping Center remains closed off and police are asking the public to call 911 if they have any information on the suspects responsible, although Harmon cautioned the public to consider the unknown suspects armed and dangerous.

"We want the public's help to bring these animals to justice," Harmon said, "but we don't want anyone else to get hurt, so please, if you know who is responsible or if you have a lead for us, call 911 immediately, give us the information, and stay away from the person or persons you believe are involved."

Harmon called the shooting "a cowardly act" and vowed to bring the killers to justice.

Joining Harmon at the press conference was Teedra Mayor Paul Lasso, who condemned the attack and said the community "will not rest until we find those responsible for this heinous crime."

Monomi Governor John Densy, who is leaving office next week due to term limits, said he was "angry and saddened" at the news of the officers' killings.

"Monomi State Police will work with Teedra PD, Stepkin Co. Sheriff, and Crown Police to find these cowardly suspects," Densy tweeted late Saturday night.

Governor-elect Will Huxton, who will take over the governor's office from Densy next week, also spoke out, posting a video statement on his Twitter account.

"We will not let these thugs and cowards take another life from our law enforcement officers or our community. We will find them, and we stand in solidarity with the Teedra Police Department and the city of Teedra tonight," Huxton said.

Latinos make history in POG elections

LANSDALE -- Wealthy white men once dominated POG's state government. They still hold an advantage, but minorities have made big strides in POG's recent elections.

The state elected it's first minority governor, Ramon Ramos, who defeated a white man, Conservative Nick Karen.

A Nationalist, Ramos previously served as the state's first minority attorney general.

The two men who vied to replace Ramos as attorney general were both Latino.

Austin Mendajara, a young Conservative lawyer from east Lansdale, defeated NAT Assemblyman Emilio Salavarde for the prominent and influential position.

And in the state's secretary of state race, Conservative Benny Ortiz, a city councilor from Lansdale's southeast, defeated the better-known NAT Assemblywoman Michele Lancer.

Ramos, Mendajara and Ortiz are all three young Latino men in their late 30's or early 40's, and their election marks the first time three Latino statewide officials have been elected simultaneously in any state in Grassadellian history.

For Mendajara and Ortiz, the election was especially impressive, given that all other Conservative candidates on the ballot for statewide races lost, including all three CNS candidates for Federal Senate.

Assemblywoman Julie Dennings came up short against incumbent NAT Senator Diane Coke, as did first-time CNS candidate Mike Holloway, who lost to the NAT's John Paul Liffrey, a Kingham businessman.

And Senator George Mercott (N) crushed Conservative Paul Ashley, who was little-known and had few campaign funds.

Votes for the state's Assembly races are still being tallied, so it's still too early to know how Latino candidates and minority candidates in general fared in Assembly races.

But the fact that three of POG's highest-ranking offices are soon to be held by young Latino men is a powerful sign of progress, minority leaders say.

"This election shows us that POG is a very diverse state with many different groups represented," Natalya Kousmus, director of the POG Diversity Coalition, a pro-diversity think tank, told the NPF.

Ramos said race should not be a factor in how people vote, but he acknowledged his election is a "breakthrough."

"I said at the beginning I wanted people to vote for the candidate they believe in and they identify with, whose policies they support. I didn't want race to be a consideration when people vote, but unfortunately for some people, it is either a reason to vote for someone or against someone. But the forces that held minorities back before, the wealthy white men club that dominated state politics, it appears that wall has been breached," Ramos said in a sit-down interview with the Chamberlain Network following his victory party.

Mendajara and Ortiz said in a joint press conference they found the voters of POG to be largely open-minded and accepting, though Ortiz said he did face some racism on the campaign trail.

"I had a few people yell at me, call me racial slurs and one guy even spit at me when I went doorbelling for votes," Ortiz said. "It's disheartening, but it's not emblematic of POGeans in general. The racist people are the exception, not the rule."

Post-poll results show the election centered less around race and ethnicity and more around economics and geography. Wealthier communities favored Conservative candidates, while lower-income neighborhoods went to the NAT.

And the NAT dominated in Knoxbury, Wyneok, Kingham and the eastern suburbs of Lansdale.

Conservatives did well in the western suburbs of Lansdale, where they traditionally draw a high percentage of votes. They also excelled in rural areas, however heavy turnout in liberal-leaning areas in the major cities outweighed the CNS advantage in the rural counties.

The election means there will be no change in POG's Senate delegation; Nationalists will continue to hold three seats, with Conservative Dick Trau holding the state's fourth seat.

Despite endorsing Nick Karen to succeed her, outgoing Governor Donna Almone (C) congratulated Ramon Ramos on his victory in the governor race.

"As a former governor of POG, I wish all my successors well, and that includes Ramon Ramos," Almone said on election night.

In his concession speech, Karen said he is not sure what he will do after losing the governor's race, but "I'll still be around," he promised.

Diane Coke said POG's voters sent a strong message to the Conservative party that "they [voters] are fed up with the tired and trite Conservative platform of favoring the rich and wealthy at the expense of the middle class."

Mercott said the state NAT party "has a lot to be proud of" after the election, and newcomer John Paul Liffrey said the NAT must deliver on solutions.

"The voters sent a message tonight," Liffrey said at his election party in east Lansdale. "But now comes the hard part. We must govern. We must deliver on results. The voters aren't sending us to Mavocke and to Lansdale to sit around bickering and blaming the other side. They're sending us there to get things done and to produce results. This is in many ways the most challenging but most rewarding part of the process."

Dick Trau, the state's lone Conservative in the Senate, said he was disappointed his party didn't pick up any Senate seats, but said their wins in the attorney general and secretary of state races were "gratifying."

"I think we as a party need to look long-term at the candidates we pick, the demographics of our state, which are shifting away from us, and we have to craft a message that appeals not just to white middle class people but to people of color and minorities and women, etc," Trau said.

POG Election Results - 2018 General Election

Governor / Lt. Governor
Nick Karen / Jim Hines (CNS)	45.51%	3,197,488
Ramon Ramos / Phil Wantanab (NAT)	50.53%	3,549,908
Other	3.96%	278,139
Secretary of State
Benny Ortiz (CNS)	51.29%	3,603,346
Michele Lancer (NAT)	46.61%	3,274,904
Other	2.10%	147,285

Attorney General
Austin Mendajara (CNS)	50.99%	3,582,671
Emilio Salavarde (NAT)	47.13%	3,311,048
Other	1.88%	131,817
Senate
Paul Ashley (CNS)	34.23%	2,404,955
George Mercott (NAT)*	59.95%	4,211,543
Other	5.82%	409,037

Senate
Julie Dennings (CNS)	46.10%	3,238,550
Diane Coke (NAT)*	49.78%	3,497,498
Other	4.12%	289,487
Senate
Mike Holloway (CNS)	45.05%	3,164,931
John Paul Liffrey (NAT)	51.52%	3,619,285
Other	3.43%	241,319