GRASSADELLIA CITY -- She's widely popular with her party, but Damoign Governor Jenna Duvan (N) may have a primary election on her hands next year, as she runs for re-election.
Earlier this year, Damoignites voted to amend the state's constitution and allow sitting governors to run for re-election. For the last thirty years, governors were barred from running for re-election consecutively.
With the constitutional change in effect, incumbent Governor Duvan is permitted to run for re-election. She announced her intention to run for re-election before the constitutional amendment even passed.
A strong liberal, Duvan is largely popular within her own party. She's strongly pro-choice, has taken a tough-on-crime approach first as attorney general and now as governor, and she has made LGBTQ and immigration issues signature pieces of her agenda.
However, some Nationalists, especially far-left, liberal members of the party, are displeased with the governor.
They feel she is compromised by campaign donations from big corporations. Additionally, Duvan is friends with many prominent celebrities and businesspeople in Damoign and across the country.
These cozy relationships, particularly with business leaders, concern many on the far left, who consider Duvan to be too close with corporate leaders.
Because of this distrust, there have been calls from more progressive Nationalists for someone to challenge Duvan in the 2020 governor's primary election.
Several potential candidates have arisen, though none have officially decided to run.
The most prominent and well-known person is progressive state Senator Greg Kelley of Sexton.
Mr. Kelley has frequently been critical of Duvan for being too weak and timid when dealing with Conservatives.
Over the past week, two other candidates have emerged. Billionaire businessman Bill Bondi, who has donated millions of dollars over the years to progressive candidates and organizations, has expressed interest.
Bondi is founder and owner of Presidio Corp., a conglomeration of numerous successful companies, mostly in real estate. The corporation also includes the upscale Taylor & Kimmitch Furniture company, which has franchises across the country.
Sources close to Bondi say he has uttered frustration with Duvan's "slow-moving" agenda.
Former Tolston Mayor Marty Rafferty, a less wealthy but well-known champion of workers rights, is also interested in running, sources within the state NAT party say.
And businessman John Brumley, who is considerably more moderate and more business-friendly, is also considering running to the right of Duvan and any potential far-left candidates.
There's also former senator Brian Altamont, a Conservative-turned-Nationalist-turned-Independent, who lost re-election by a dismal margin in 2012.
Altamont began as a moderate in the Senate, but over the years, his policy stances became more liberal.
But friends of the former senator say he has his eye on running for mayor of Grassadellia City instead.
The flood of potential challengers from her own party has to be disappointing to the Duvan campaign, but not unexpected.
"Jenna Duvan knew when she announced she was running for re-election, the first governor in 30 years to do so, she knew that would draw challengers from her own party, especially because of how divisive the constitutional amendment process was," Dr. Jordan Gallagher, a political science professor at Dulkalow University, told the GBC.
But out of the rumored challengers thus far, only Bondi is considered a viable candidate, because of his excessive wealth.
And with left-wing voters unhappy with Duvan for being too close to wealthy corporations, Bondi probably wouldn't be a better alternative. In fact, he'd probably be less desirable for those voters.
If Duvan does face a primary challenge from members of her party, she will be the odds-on favorite.
Experts say it's more worthwhile to look at potential Conservative challengers to Duvan.
Recent polling by The Grassadellia City Times and Dulkalow University found that only one hypothetical Conservative candidate would defeat Duvan in a head-to-head match-up.
That candidate is Assemblywoman Pat Leemore, from downstate Damoign.
Leemore is a moderate, and receives strong backing from independent voters and even some Nationalists.
Conservative state Representative Andrew Liang, who is relatively unknown outside his east Grassadellia City district, comes within one percentage point of Duvan, when matched head-to-head.
But other high-profile candidates, including former Governor Sid Hoffa and Assemblymen Ron Wilder and John DeGallio, trail Duvan by seven to eight points.
Dr. Gallagher, the political science professor at Dulkalow, says Duvan has the edge heading into the 2020 elections.
"Right now, she has the advantage. Most of the potential Conservative candidates who are thinking about running against her don't come close to beating her," said Gallagher.
But Duvan's advantage could disappear if an unexpected Conservative or Independent candidate decides to challenge her.
The one person everyone is wondering about is Grassadellia City Mayor Kellan Kastol, who is officially an Independent but could challenge Duvan either as an Independent or a Nationalist.
Kastol is popular and is believed to have set his eyes on higher office. However, the young, handsome mayor previously dated Duvan several years ago, and the two remain (in public) good friends, so it's difficult to imagine the mayor challenging his ex-lover and political ally.
Gallagher says above all, it's way too early to predict which candidate will win the election.
"So much can happen in 15 months. Candidates come, they go, they drop out, scandals happen, sometimes they die, you just never know what will happen."
Earlier this year, Damoignites voted to amend the state's constitution and allow sitting governors to run for re-election. For the last thirty years, governors were barred from running for re-election consecutively.
With the constitutional change in effect, incumbent Governor Duvan is permitted to run for re-election. She announced her intention to run for re-election before the constitutional amendment even passed.
A strong liberal, Duvan is largely popular within her own party. She's strongly pro-choice, has taken a tough-on-crime approach first as attorney general and now as governor, and she has made LGBTQ and immigration issues signature pieces of her agenda.
However, some Nationalists, especially far-left, liberal members of the party, are displeased with the governor.
They feel she is compromised by campaign donations from big corporations. Additionally, Duvan is friends with many prominent celebrities and businesspeople in Damoign and across the country.
These cozy relationships, particularly with business leaders, concern many on the far left, who consider Duvan to be too close with corporate leaders.
Because of this distrust, there have been calls from more progressive Nationalists for someone to challenge Duvan in the 2020 governor's primary election.
Several potential candidates have arisen, though none have officially decided to run.
The most prominent and well-known person is progressive state Senator Greg Kelley of Sexton.
Mr. Kelley has frequently been critical of Duvan for being too weak and timid when dealing with Conservatives.
Over the past week, two other candidates have emerged. Billionaire businessman Bill Bondi, who has donated millions of dollars over the years to progressive candidates and organizations, has expressed interest.
Bondi is founder and owner of Presidio Corp., a conglomeration of numerous successful companies, mostly in real estate. The corporation also includes the upscale Taylor & Kimmitch Furniture company, which has franchises across the country.
Sources close to Bondi say he has uttered frustration with Duvan's "slow-moving" agenda.
Former Tolston Mayor Marty Rafferty, a less wealthy but well-known champion of workers rights, is also interested in running, sources within the state NAT party say.
And businessman John Brumley, who is considerably more moderate and more business-friendly, is also considering running to the right of Duvan and any potential far-left candidates.
There's also former senator Brian Altamont, a Conservative-turned-Nationalist-turned-Independent, who lost re-election by a dismal margin in 2012.
Altamont began as a moderate in the Senate, but over the years, his policy stances became more liberal.
But friends of the former senator say he has his eye on running for mayor of Grassadellia City instead.
The flood of potential challengers from her own party has to be disappointing to the Duvan campaign, but not unexpected.
"Jenna Duvan knew when she announced she was running for re-election, the first governor in 30 years to do so, she knew that would draw challengers from her own party, especially because of how divisive the constitutional amendment process was," Dr. Jordan Gallagher, a political science professor at Dulkalow University, told the GBC.
But out of the rumored challengers thus far, only Bondi is considered a viable candidate, because of his excessive wealth.
And with left-wing voters unhappy with Duvan for being too close to wealthy corporations, Bondi probably wouldn't be a better alternative. In fact, he'd probably be less desirable for those voters.
If Duvan does face a primary challenge from members of her party, she will be the odds-on favorite.
Experts say it's more worthwhile to look at potential Conservative challengers to Duvan.
Recent polling by The Grassadellia City Times and Dulkalow University found that only one hypothetical Conservative candidate would defeat Duvan in a head-to-head match-up.
That candidate is Assemblywoman Pat Leemore, from downstate Damoign.
Leemore is a moderate, and receives strong backing from independent voters and even some Nationalists.
Conservative state Representative Andrew Liang, who is relatively unknown outside his east Grassadellia City district, comes within one percentage point of Duvan, when matched head-to-head.
But other high-profile candidates, including former Governor Sid Hoffa and Assemblymen Ron Wilder and John DeGallio, trail Duvan by seven to eight points.
Dr. Gallagher, the political science professor at Dulkalow, says Duvan has the edge heading into the 2020 elections.
"Right now, she has the advantage. Most of the potential Conservative candidates who are thinking about running against her don't come close to beating her," said Gallagher.
But Duvan's advantage could disappear if an unexpected Conservative or Independent candidate decides to challenge her.
The one person everyone is wondering about is Grassadellia City Mayor Kellan Kastol, who is officially an Independent but could challenge Duvan either as an Independent or a Nationalist.
Kastol is popular and is believed to have set his eyes on higher office. However, the young, handsome mayor previously dated Duvan several years ago, and the two remain (in public) good friends, so it's difficult to imagine the mayor challenging his ex-lover and political ally.
Gallagher says above all, it's way too early to predict which candidate will win the election.
"So much can happen in 15 months. Candidates come, they go, they drop out, scandals happen, sometimes they die, you just never know what will happen."
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