Houndsler still leads in Ansleigha, but Baskingwood gaining

KOEURN, Asl. -- First-time candidate Agatha Houndsler is off to a strong start in the Ansleigha governor's race. The art teacher and psychologist continues to lead Conservative Gov. Sam Baskingwood and Independent businesswoman Rosamond Burkes. 

However, Houndsler's lead has slipped slightly, and Baskingwood has made some small gains, according to the latest poll.

The latest poll, conducted by the University of Ansleigha and The Grassadellia City Times, finds Houndsler earning 39.7% and Baskingwood earning 38.2%, while Burkes receives 21.3%, respectively.

Just two months ago, Houndsler led Baskingwood in the polls by almost seven points. That was before the NAT nominee had secured her party's nomination, however. And Houndsler was not well-known by Ansleigha voters at the time.

Since she won her party's nomination last month, Houndsler has come under greater scrutiny from the media and her political rivals. She's also come under attack from both the Baskingwood and Burkes campaigns, who have portrayed Houndsler as a left-wing idealist who prioritizes feel-good social justice gestures over effective policies.

"Agatha Houndsler may be a nice person, but her policies are just flat out crazy," says a narrator in a pro-Baskingwood campaign commercial.

The same commercial hits Houndsler for suggesting rehabilitation and early release for violent criminals in the state's prison system, and for her embrace of transgender-friendly policies in schools and government offices.

"When it comes to protecting Ansleigha's families from violent crime and dangerous predators, Sam Baskingwood is the only candidate who will keep criminals off the street, and keep predators out of our kids' schools and bathrooms," says the narrator.

Burkes has similarly gone after Houndsler, calling her a "culture warrior for the left."

"'Hagatha,' as I call her, is a bleeding heart liberal. She wants to feed all the homeless people and give them free food and shelter. She even wants to give them free drugs and needle exchanges. Because she says that will help them," said Burkes at a campaign rally in the eastern suburbs of Koeurn last week.

The crowd booed at Burkes' comments.

"If you want to fix the homeless situation, if you want to get thugs and drug dealers off the streets, you better vote for me. Because 'Hagatha' won't do it, and 'Sell-Out Sam' won't do it either," said Burkes, referring to Houndsler and Baskingwood, both of whom she has given degrading nicknames.

Houndsler embraces the hippie label her political foes have assigned to her.

"I am a hippie, I won't shy away from that. I am a hippie. I am anti-war. I am pro-human rights. I am pro-women's rights. I am pro-environment. If all of that makes me a hippie, then yes, I am one," she told The Grassadellia City Times as a reporter shadowed her on the campaign trail last week.

Still, it's unclear if Conservatives' usual playbook -- using crime and homelessness to criticize and attack Nationalist politicians -- will work this time around.

Baskingwood has been in office for three-and-a-half years at this point, and any criticism about crime would also imply he has not done enough himself to combat the problem. The same is true of homelessness.

But top Conservatives are hoping their negative ads that cast Houndsler as an extreme left-wing "bleeding heart" will sway voters who value law and order.

"This election is, I think, going to come down less to the economy and more to crime, homelessness, and culture wars. For better or for worse," said Dr. Phil Angelo, a political science professor at Hastings University in Elmhurst. "The question is, which candidate will voters trust on these issues."

Cal Sully holds off Simi Hagley, for now

ASHFORD'S LANDING, Har. -- Moderate NAT Sen. Cal Sully can breathe a temporary sigh of relief.

The incumbent senator, who is known for his independent streak and for frequently bucking his party, narrowly prevailed over his more left-wing opponent, liberal activist and perennial candidate Simi Hagley.

With all precincts reporting, Sully was leading with just shy of 52%, while Hagley had just over 48%, respectively.

It was a tight race for the long-time senator, who routinely faces criticism and backlash from the left-wing of the NAT for his sometimes more conservative voting record.

Sully is staunchly liberal on issues like labor, women's health care, and social welfare programs.

But he often sides with Conservatives on national security and tax issues.

More recently, he has earned scorn from liberal activists for not supporting several of President Jim McCaren's cabinet nominees.

Hagley ran against Sully because, as she told The Ashford Current newspaper, "Harlyne deserves a true liberal senator who will champion progressive values, and not just give them lip service."

Sully defended his record, saying that he votes liberal "90% of the time," and that he often votes against the president because he believes the president's nominees or positions are too conservative.

"I don't side with Conservatives against the president. I vote my conscience. And sometimes my conscience happens to align with Conservatives. But it's not about me teaming up with Conservatives or joining their side," he told a reporter last week on the campaign trail.

"I'm not a Vic Chambers," Sully said, referring to South Ceona Sen. Vic Chambers, who is officially a Nationalist but who votes with Conservatives more often than his own party.

Hagley and the far-left have long tried to eliminate Sully. Hagley ran against him six years ago, in another close contest. 

Sully beat Hagley in the primary, narrowly. However, Hagley switched her political affiliation to "Independent" and continued her campaign, resulting in a three-way race in the general election, where Sully defeated Hagley and Conservative Hal Swenson. Sully won that race with 45.7% to Swenson's 41.7% and Hagley's 10%, respectively.

This year's election is shaping up to be an identical re-run of 2018.

Just like in 2018, Hagley challenged Sully in a close primary election, where he hobbled out a narrow win.

And also just like 2018, Hagley says she will continue to the general election as an Independent candidate, assuming she gets enough signatures and the secretary of state's office certifies her candidacy, both of which are expected to happen.

Hal Swenson is also running for the Conservatives again.

The WHMC Member, who represents far eastern Bourneham County, is known for his hard-line, right-wing views.

Swenson has been critical of Sully for not being Conservative enough. And Swenson's chief criticism this time around is that Sully, as a Nationalist, is enabling Senate Majority Leader Debbie Madronas and more liberal members of Congress, who hold the majority.

"The Nationalists get their power in the Senate by having more NAT senators than Conservative senators. So even if Cal Sully says he's 'independent,' and he says he votes his conscience and bucks his party, the very fact that he is a Nationalist and is on the NAT's team, the fact that he sits in their section of the Senate chamber, the fact that he's apart of their caucus, that means he's enabling and helping Debbie Madronas. He may not vote the way she wants him to, all the time, but he is adding to her majority, and that majority gives her the power," said Swenson in an interview with The Current.

Swenson said he will implore voters, once again, to vote Conservative.

"This isn't even about voting for me, as much as it is about stopping Debbie Madronas. You may not love me, you may not agree with all my policies. But let's stop Debbie Madronas and Paul LeBouse and Deborah Kay and all the other liberal wacky senators from running our country into the ground. We need to deny the Nationalists a majority, and that starts by voting Conservative this fall," said an adamant Swenson.

Sully disputed Swenson's contention, saying, "the voters of Harlyne have a right to pick their senator based on who that person is, not on some national party strategy."

"The people of Harlyne know me. They know how I operate. They know how I vote. They know I vote my conscience. They know I work with Conservatives and Nationalists. They know I have strong values and I stick to those values. I'm confident the voters of Harlyne will vote to retain me in the fall. They would rather have an independent-minded senator who votes their conscience rather than a party automaton who just does whatever the far-right or far-left tells them and pressures them to do," said Sully.

The race is likely to come down to Sully and Swenson, as Hagley has ran for office numerous times over the past two decades. Many voters dismiss her because of her routine runs for office, which have never been successful.

Still, while Hagley may not command enough votes to win, she could siphon enough votes away from Sully, which could theoretically allow Swenson to win with a simple plurality.

"It's in the realm of possibility," Swenson told the NPF. "We are approaching this race as if we can win. I wouldn't be running if I thought this was a waste of time. I believe I can win, my supporters believe that. We're running alongside Tom Marelo for governor. The voters of Harlyne will finally have a solid choice for a true conservative for governor and for senator. This could be the year that Conservatives rise from the ashes in Harlyne and rightfully claim their place of authority," said Swenson.

Though not as experienced on the ballot as Hagley, Swenson has also run for office multiple times, and has never won statewide office. An outspoken Evangelical Christian, Swenson is known for his conservative fiscal policies, his ultra-conservative views on social issues, and his frequent references to the Bible and end times.

Despite his unsuccessful record at statewide office, Swenson has managed to hold on to his WHMC seat in eastern Bourneham County for years. He has a strong base of support in the mostly suburban and rural district he represents.

Sully has been endorsed by Gov. Kate Morelda, as well as a slew of local NAT mayors, county commissioners, and other leaders.

Notably, he has not received an endorsement from fellow NAT Senator Lei Chan, who was appointed to the Senate by Morelda back in February. Chan, who is decidedly more liberal than Sully, has not endorsed Hagley, with a spokesman for Chan's office saying the newly-appointed senator has not been focused on the race and will not get involved in the race in the near future.

Celebration turns to worry for Morelda campaign in wake of Marelo primary win

ASHFORD'S LANDING, Har. -- Advisors and surrogates of Harlyne Gov. Kate Morelda (N) were initially jubilant when it was confirmed Conservative hard-liner Tom Marelo won the state's CNS primary for governor.

Marelo is, by Harlyne standards, a bit of an extremist. He's anti-abortion. He supports low taxes and making cuts to the state's budget. He is staunchly opposed to electric vehicles. And wants to prohibit transgender children from using their preferred pronouns in schools.

So the Morelda camp was quite excited to hear Marelo prevailed over a more mainstream, moderate candidate in last week's CNS primary election.

Morelda already easily beat Marelo back in 2020, and will likely do it again this year, Morelda supporters figured. He should be easier to beat than the moderate Frank Kerenbury, who was the favored CNS candidate, who also enjoyed the CNS party leadership's support.

However, while Marelo may have squeezed out a narrow win over Kerenbury, and while Marelo may have been easily held back in 2020, he may not be as easily defeated this fall in the general election.

A new poll released Friday finds Marelo trailing Morelda by a measly three points. Morelda leads with 51% to Marelo's 48%, respectively.

Those numbers are far from a slam dunk for Morelda. And those concerningly close poll numbers turned the joyous mood at Morelda campaign headquarters into a mood of panic and fear.

"When we first found out Tom Marelo won, we were ecstatic," said Jay Bukes, a senior advisor to Morelda. "But we have seen the poll numbers, and we know that this race is actually very close."

"We still believe Tom Marelo is the easier candidate to beat. He's an extremist who is out of step and out of touch with the values of Harlynians. And we will point that out every chance we get during this campaign. However, we're not taking anything for granted. We're not going to be presumptive or complacent. We know we have to work hard to convince Harlynians to re-elect Governor Morelda," said Bukes.

The Marelo campaign, unsurprisingly, is touting the latest poll numbers.

"This latest poll confirms what we already knew and what we have been saying for months, but the liberal, elite media and establishment have refused to listen. Tom Marelo is very much a contender in this governor's race. He and Kate Morelda are essentially tied for the lead. This race could go either way. It's a toss-up. Kate Morelda and her liberal cronies have arrogantly dismissed Tom Marelo as having no chance of winning, but these poll numbers show their arrogance will be their downfall," said Robert Strange, a close advisor to Marelo.

Harlyne is a liberal-leaning state, although moderate Conservatives, such as former governor and current senator George Garesby, Sen. Bourret Magiscanti, and Secretary of State Jan Scianden have won statewide elections.

Former Attorney General Julio Emaria, who is more conservative, has also won two terms in the state's top law-enforcement job.

On the whole, however, Nationalists dominate, particularly in the heavily-populated western half of the state, where almost two-thirds of the state's population resides.

One thing is clear after last week's poll. The Nationalist Party cannot dismiss Tom Marelo. And the Conservative Party may want to invest more money in the race than they originally planned.

"We are very much in this to win this. I wouldn't be running if I thought I had no chance of winning. The poll numbers are showing that we are on the cusp of something big. We are in striking distance. And that should make Kate Morelda and her left-wing cronies in Ashford's Landing think twice before they implement their latest, loony policies," a defiant Marelo told reporters Friday at a campaign stop in northern Adams County.

The Morelda campaign responded with skepticism.

"I've ran against Tom Marelo before. I know how he operates. He's cocky. He's very sure of himself. We heard this last time too, that he was going to win and his support was under-reported. But we ended up winning by five points. I know the state of Harlyne. I know the values Harlynians believe in. And I know Tom Marelo does not match up with those values. So I am confident the voters will send me back to Clevey Springs this fall," said Morelda Friday afternoon at a dinner reception in south Ashford's Landing.

In terms of money, Morelda has a significant advantage. She has raised $6.1 million so far for her campaign, and has $4.7 million in cash-on-hand. 

Marelo has raised $1.4 million for his campaign, and has also donated an additional $1.6 million of his own money. He has just $998,000 in cash-on-hand.

Marelo pulls off upset in knife-edge Harlyne CNS primary election

GOLDCHRIS, Har. -- Defying all expectations, hard-line Conservative gubernatorial candidate and businessman Tom Marelo won a major upset against an establishment Conservative opponent.

Originally, five CNS candidates were vying for the Conservative party's nomination. One, H-Tel CEO Rich Tuller, dropped out and filed to run for lieutenant governor instead.

Former Attorney General Julia Giorchani and current Assemblyman Steve Frenitch both dropped out just days before the primary election.

Frenitch opted to run for attorney general instead, while Giorchani did not give a reason for her departure from the race and didn't file to run for another office.

That left Marelo and Assemblyman Frank Kerenbury, the establishment-backed and favorite candidate of party leadership.

Kerenbury is decidedly more moderate than Marelo, with the former embracing bipartisanship and moderate positions on social issues.

Marelo is considerably more conservative on fiscal and social policies, and has ruthlessly attacked Nationalists politicians.

The outspoken millionaire businessman, who is a staunch Evangelical Christian, has received strong support from his home base in Adams County, the state's most conservative county. 

Marelo's support has spread beyond Adams County, though, including to all of eastern Harlyne and even to the heavily-populated western half of the state.

Indeed, it was an unexpected wellspring of support for Marelo in Scandinaugh County, the state's second-most-populous, that helped pushed Marelo past the finish line.

Kerenbury, who hails from Scandinaugh County, ended up losing his home county narrowly, with Marelo enjoying a strong lead among working-class and blue-collar voters.

Kerenbury received more support from elderly and higher-educated voters.

In the end, the race was exceedingly close. Kerenbury led by a sliver of the vote in the first count. But as additional overseas and military ballots trickled in, Marelo pulled ahead. 

However, his win was exceedingly marginal, beating Kerenbury by less than 2,000 votes out of more than 240,000 votes cast.

A win for Marelo is a victory for hard-line and right-wing Conservatives, and a blow to party leadership, who tried to clear a path for Kerenbury.

Party elders are concerned about Marelo's nomination primarily because they believe he is too conservative to win in the fall election.

"Harlyne is a liberal state. We are a left-leaning state. We can't win with a right-wing candidate here," Josh Jarvis, a Conservative political consultant from Harlyne, told the NPF.

Additionally, Marelo previously ran unsuccessfully for governor back in 2020, losing to NAT Gov. Kate Morelda by a 52%-46% margin.

"How is this year going to be any different than 2020 when Tom Marelo lost back then? I'm not convinced he can beat Kate Morelda," Jarvis added.

Marelo brushes off concerns about electability.

"We came fairly close to winning last time around. And now voters have had almost four years of Kate Morelda's 'leadership.' People are hungry for change. They're yearning for common sense policies. They're tired of seeing homeless people on every street corner. They're tired of 'catch and release' policies with criminals who commit crimes. People are tired of being taxed out of their cars and their homes. The climate and the mood are very different this time around, and we intend to capitalize on that," Marelo told The Harlyne Sun newspaper in a sit-down interview yesterday.

Perhaps a challenge equally as daunting as defeating Kate Morelda in the fall will be the process of healing intra-party rifts between the pro-Marelo and pro-Kerenbury factions of the CNS, something Marelo acknowledged.

"I know this was a tough-fought primary election. I know Assemblyman Kerenbury is a good person and has served our state for many years. I appreciate his service and his ideas. And I hope he partners with me to win in November," said Marelo.

Kerenbury briefly toyed with changing his party registration to "Independent," which would allow him to continue his campaign for governor as an Independent candidate.

However, polls on a hypothetical Morelda-Marelo-Kerenbury, three-way race showed Morelda leading overwhelmingly, with Conservatives splitting the vote.

The adverse poll numbers convinced Kerenbury to accept defeat. He subsequently endorsed Marelo.

"It is disappointing to being standing here not as a winner but conceding to another candidate. That's not the outcome we hoped for, it's not the outcome I hoped for. But the voters have spoken, and they, ever so narrowly, chose Tom Marelo's vision for our state over my vision. And I have to respect that," Kerenbury told a local TV station Friday in Harlynee.

"This [defeat] doesn't change my fidelity to the party. I am still a loyal Conservative. I still support the party and still want our party to win in November. I will be supporting Tom Marelo in the fall. We need a change, we need new leadership in Clevey Springs. So this contested primary election doesn't change that."

Despite Marelo's endorsement, concerns persist among the Conservative party's leadership. Many fear moderate Conservative voters, who have long been the backbone of the party, may either switch their votes to Morelda in the fall election, or they may abstain and not vote at all. Either scenario would hurt Marelo's chances of taking the governorship.

Still, others point to Marelo's surprising win, and an upsurge in support he received in Scandinaugh, Herell, Bourneham and Saoca counties. They also look to states like Ansleigha, where Conservatives swept statewide elections back in 2020 in a surprising upset result.

"Who's to say Harlyne won't be the next Ansleigha," said Rick Thornton, deputy campaign manager for the Marelo campaign. "Some of the best results for Conservatives are coming out of NAT-leaning states."

Indeed, polls show Marelo either tied with or narrowly trailing Morelda in a fall match-up.

"This race is going to be much closer than national pundits and so-called 'experts' say it will be," said Marelo.

The Morelda campaign is taking anything for granted, said Vanessa Kemp, spokesperson for the Morelda campaign.

"Gov. Morelda will continue to outline and share her vision for Harlyne with the voters. Gov. Morelda believes her pro-climate, pro-environment, pro-family, pro-women and pro-civil rights policies will resonate with Harlynians. Her positions are in stark contrast to the radical anti-woman, anti-abortion, anti-climate policies of Tom Marelo. And Gov. Morelda looks forward to election day, so Harlynians can decide for themselves what direction they want our state to go for the next four years," said Kemp.

***Election Results -- Harlyne Conservative Primary for Governor -- Unofficial Results***

Candidates:	Votes:	Percent:	Counties Won:
Tom Marelo	122,203	50.75%	6
Frank Kerenbury	118,578	49.25%	5
	Total Votes:
	240,781
	Turnout:
	17.70%

Scott King says Nationalist Party must fight harder for middle class voters

TRIETON, Mon. -- As one of the most controversial governors in Grassadellia, Monomi Gov. Scott King is heavily scrutinized and criticized by his critics. 

His latest advice for his fellow Nationalists is falling on deaf ears, he says.

In an exclusive interview with the STAR Network, King told correspondent Keely Underwood that the Nationalist Party has become too focused on rich celebrities instead of middle class voters.

"Our party tends to value rich, liberal celebrities much more than middle class Grassadellians, and that's a mistake," said King.

For years, the party has placed an emphasis on fighting for low-income and poor Grassadellians, "which is great," said King. 

"But we've largely ignored the middle class," King told Underwood. "We've basically surrendered and ceded the middle class to the Conservative Party, and that's a big mistake. It's a big reason why we have lost elections. It's a big reason why so many rural and suburban voters are turned off by the Nationalist Party and our party's agenda," he said.

He pointed to many close elections in recent years, including in Kalnier's governor's race in 2022, where liberal incumbent Gov. Nick Hall performed excellently in inner-Lamberth, but flopped in the suburbs.

"Hall's agenda was exclusively focused on low-income and urban voters," said King. "[Hall] didn't even fight for suburban voters. He basically surrendered them to Tony Ritonio."

The same could be said in Veroche's 2020 governor's race, where Conservative Mac Griffin ousted NAT Gov. Tom Harper.

"Again, we saw a similar pattern. The NAT candidate does well in inner-Lanakis and urban areas. But the suburbs are largely forgotten and ignored, which allowed Mac Griffin to dominate in those areas," said King.

Not all Nationalists agree with King's assessment.

"That's bullshit," Hall told GNN, when asked for a response.

"I never ignored the suburbs. I fought for every vote I got, including people in the suburban areas. Scott King doesn't know what he's talking about," said a defiant Hall.

Hall did concede the middle class turned against him in the 2022 election, but he said it wasn't for a lack of trying.

"I think people were frustrated with inflation, which was, to a large extent, out of my control. And I think people saw issues like homeless people and education as issues that needed to be resolved. And we were working to resolve those issues, but we didn't have them resolved in time for the election. So in that aspect, yes, the election loss to Tony Ritonio was my fault. But it wasn't for a lack of focus or caring about the middle class. Our campaign cared about every voter, and as governor, I fought for every Kalnieran, no matter what their socio-economic status was."

King attributed his 2022 election win, in part, to focusing on middle class and rural voters "who have been ignored and maligned by the NAT party establishment."

"These voters were angry. They were ticked. They were pissed off at having been ignored and treated like shit by Nationalist Party leaders," said King. "They didn't want to vote for Will Huxton, but they didn't want to vote for an arrogant Nationalist politician who only cares about downtown Trieton or inner-city Skyllings. Voters want to vote for a politician who they feel cares about them. And all over the campaign trail, I had people coming up to me saying, 'You know Scott, I have never voted for a Nationalist before. But I will vote for you, because you understand me, you try to understand what's important to me, and that's something no politician has ever done before.'"

King said he has met with Nationalist Party leaders, both in Monomi and at the national level, and he is urging his fellow NAT governors to "make an effort" to "meet middle class voters where they are."

"As a party, we tend to only focus on the inner-city and the urban areas. On the college towns. On the liberal retirement communities with highly-educated voters. We need to change that. We need to focus on the rural communities. We need to focus on the Conservative-leaning areas. We need to compete for voters across the whole country, not just in the urban enclaves," said King.

Hardline Conservatives put aside differences, come together to support Mercer Diego for Damoign governor

GREENEWOOD, Dmg. -- He said he'd never drop out of the race for governor.

But libertarian radio talk show host and Conservative candidate for governor Rob McCann did just that last Monday in a surprise announcement.

McCann was among seven candidates who were seeking the Conservative nomination for governor.

Though he had little support, he soldiered on in the campaign, vowing to stay in until the end.

However, last week, McCann changed his mind, he told his national radio audience from his suburban Grassadellia City home and studio.

"I was going to stay in the race until the bitter end. But I realized, if I stay in the race, that's only going to help the moderates win. The moderate party leaders want George Velmar or Pat Leemore to win, and me staying in the race will only help one of those two get elected. And George Velmar and Pat Leemore are not true Conservatives," said McCann.

"[Velmar and Leemore] belong to the Conservative party. They have a 'C' after their names. But they are moderates. They are Conservative-lites. Faux-Conservatives. Whatever you want to call them. They don't believe in true liberty and freedom from government like you and I do," McCann told his audience.

The only candidate left in the race who will truly stand for conservative values, McCann said, is former lieutenant governor and twice-unsuccessful gubernatorial nominee Mercer Diego.

"Now I disagree on a lot of issues with Mercer Diego. I do not agree with him on many things. But, I do agree with him on some important things. Things like property rights, gun rights, low taxes, less government spending, less bureaucracy, fighting the 'climate change' hoax, etc. George Velmar and Pat Leemore don't care about these things. They will fall right in line with what the media and the Nationalists want them to do," said McCann.

"Mercer Diego is the only candidate left in the race who will fight for the conservative values that people like you and me hold dear and know to be true," said McCann. "So that's why I dropped out of the race. I want to support Mercer and help him win the nomination. And I'm urging all my supporters and people who voted for other Conservative candidates. If you truly believe in freedom and liberty, the only candidate you can really support is Mercer Diego."

The former lieutenant governor is locked in a tight three-way race for governor with billionaire businessman George Velmar of Larche and current Lt. Gov. Pat Leemore of Bragdon.

The other four Conservative candidates have all dropped out of the race.

McCann and West Lake businessman Rick Tesario have both endorsed Diego, while former Federal Treasury official Kim Camden has endorsed Leemore.

Lawyer and businessman John Barian has not endorsed anyone yet, although he's expressed support for all of the three remaining candidates.

At the moment, Leemore leads in the primary contest. She has won small, local-level elections in 17 of Damoign's 43 counties, and leads the vote tally with 28% of the votes that have been cast.

Velmar is close behind, having won 25.6% of the votes cast, although he has only won four counties.

Diego is in third place, with 24.7% of votes cast so far. He has won eight counties.

It's unclear just how many votes are left in the contest, since the remaining 14 counties have not cast ballots yet.

However, there are still a few heavily-populated counties left to take part in the primary voting contest, including Sexton, New Upton, Reever, Riverton, Pickering, Percival, West Lake, Quindulson and Gentry counties.

A strong showing by either Velmar or Diego in any of those counties could change the rankings and vote tallies significantly, making the race's outcome far from certain.

Already, battle lines are being drawn, as the more hardline Conservative politicians are coalescing around Diego, while the more moderate Conservatives are backing Leemore or Velmar.

Mr. Velmar, who is often compared to former US President Donald Trump, finds support from both the moderate and right-wing factions of the party. His supporters say he is the only candidate left in the race who can bring both the moderate and far-right wings of the party together in the fall election.

If none of the candidates get a majority of the vote, which is likely to be the case, the top two will advance to a run-off election.

Whoever wins the run-off will go on to face NAT Gov. Jenna Duvan in the fall election.

Duvan is seeking an historic and unprecedented third consecutive term in November.

No major third-party or independent candidates have filed to run, making November's contest a head-to-head match-up between Duvan and the eventual Conservative nominee.

For the first time in state history, gubernatorial nominees will run on a ticket with running mates.

Previously, in Damoign, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor ran separately in separate races. The 2024 election will be the first in which candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run together as one joint ticket.

Julia Giorchani, Steve Frenitch drop gubernatorial bids in Harlyne

FLAG HARBOR, Har. -- The Harlyne governor's race has become a smaller contest.

Conservative candidates Julia Giorchani and Steve Frenitch both announced Friday they are leaving the race.

In an outdoors press conference in downtown Flag Harbor, Giorchani gave little explanation for her exit from the race, only saying "now is not my time."

The former attorney general did not cite family, health or any other reason for departing the race. When asked if she was doubtful she could win, she emphatically said 'no.'

"I'm 100 percent confident we can win this race. That has nothing to do with why I'm stepping out of the race. It's just not my time," she said.

She declined to elaborate when asked by reporters.

Instead, Giorchani will throw her support to former assemblyman Frank Kerenbury, who is the front-runner in the race to challenge incumbent NAT Gov. Kate Morelda.

"Frank is a committed public servant. He has served the people of Scandinaugh County faithfully for years. He is a leader who puts bipartisanship ahead of his own interests or that of his own party. He will be the kind of governor we need," Giorchani said, adding that Kerenbury will govern in a style similar to that of former Gov. George Garesby (C).

Giorchani said she respects businessman Tom Marelo, who is still in the race. But ultimately, Kerenbury "is the best candidate to defeat Kate Morelda," said Giorchani.

Right after her announcement, Frenitch announced he too is dropping out of the governor's race.

Frenitch, however, will instead seek the state Attorney General post.

"I fully believe I could win the race for governor," Frenitch told reporters at a press conference in Goldchrist.

"But we already have two good candidates for governor. Our party has no good candidates for attorney general. We need someone good in that position. And that position would allow me to stay here in Harlyne and not be in Mavocke, so it's a better fit for me," he said.

Unlike Giorchani, though, Frenitch is endorsing Marelo.

"Tom Marelo is more conservative than Frank Kerenbury. Tom is a businessman. He knows how to run government like a business. He understands property rights. He understands government overreach. He understands the disparities and inequalities between western and eastern Harlyne. And for those reasons and more, I am supporting Tom Marelo for governor," said Frenitch.

Marelo was the party's nominee for governor in 2020. He lost to Morelda by a margin of 46% - 52%, respectively.

Marelo has declined to drop out of the race, despite pressure from party leaders, who view Kerenbury as the more viable and electable candidate.

"I am in this race to win this race," Marelo told reporters on Wednesday at a campaign stop in Harlynee. "I refuse to cave into pressure from party bosses in Mavocke who have no idea what life is like here in Harlyne and what people in Harlyne want."

Kerenbury has not called on Marelo to drop out directly, telling reporters last week he "welcomed" a primary contest.

But top Conservatives have expressed doubts about Marelo's ability to beat Morelda.

"Tom already lost once to Kate Morelda. It wasn't a blowout, but it wasn't exactly close. I haven't seen any evidence that Tom is going to beat Kate Morelda this time around," said former gubernatorial candidate and current lieutenant governor candidate Rich Tuller (C).

Polls show no matter who wins the June 18 primary election, both Conservative candidates will have a challenge to defeat Morelda.

A former attorney general, Morelda is popular among liberals and progressives for her pro-climate policies. 

Morelda has struggled with public opinion, however, especially over issues like cost-of-living, homelessness and crime.

"Harlyne is more dangerous and far poorer today than it was just three years ago when Governor George Garesby was in office," said state Conservative party chairman Jim Deneg. "The people of Harlyne deserve a governor who actually has a plan to bring down inflation, who respects property rights, who wants less taxes, and who will put more cops on the streets and prosecute criminals for all crimes."

The Morelda campaign hit back, saying "Harlynians appreciate Gov. Morelda's sensible climate policies."

"Under Kate Morelda, we have a healthier environment. We have cleaner air. We have cleaner water. We have cleaner coastlines. We've reduced garbage and refuse and increased recycling. And we've freed our justice system from frivolous prosecutions. Instead of criminalizing houselessness, we've given people who are experiencing houselessness more options and connected them to social services," said Jared Walsh, a campaign spokesman.

Polls show Morelda and Kerenbury essentially tied in head-to-head match-ups. The most recent poll from The Harlyne Sun newspaper found Kerenbury narrowly leading, 50% - 49%, respectively.

Against Marelo, Morelda polls at 52% to Marelo's 47%, respectively.

Houndsler picks young African-Grassadellian woman as running mate

KOEURN, Asl. -- In a historic first, Nationalist gubernatorial candidate Agatha Houndsler has selected an African-Grassadellian woman to be her running mate in the upcoming election.

Houndsler, 66, announced that state Rep. Amanda Grimes, 29, will be her running mate.

Grimes is African-Grassadellian. Her mother emigrated from France, while her father's family is from Kenya, though her father did live in the United Kingdom for decades. Grimes herself was born in Grassadellia and has lived exclusively in Grassadellia, except for a semester abroad in Kenya during her undergraduate years.

Houndsler previously promised she would choose a minority woman to be her running mate.

"Today, I am making good on my promise to pick a qualified, exceptional, minority woman to be my running mate," she said, in a press conference in downtown Koeurn, at Chorus Square.

"Amanda Grimes is young, but she is exceptional. She has vision, she has a youthful perspective, and she has grit. She knows what it's like to struggle. She knows what it's like to come from a disadvantaged background. She knows what it's like to face barriers. And she knows what it's like to overcome those barriers," said Houndsler.

Grimes' selection is historic for a few reasons. First, there has never been an all female-led campaign for governor in Ansleigha history.

State House Speaker Becky Grael previously ran for governor back in 2020, but she chose a man, businessman Russ Hawley, as her running mate.

Grimes is also an unusual choice simply because of her age.

Typically, candidates for lieutenant governor are older. If elected, she would be the youngest lieutenant governor in Ansleigha history.

While she is young, she is old enough to serve in the lieutenant governorship. The state constitution only mandates a candidate be 18 years old.

As a state representative from inner-city Koeurn, Grimes represents one of the most reliably NAT-leaning districts in the state legislature.

First elected in 2020, she has championed social services, state assistance, free community college, and other social safety nets for low-income Ansleighans.

She has also been vocal in speaking out against workplace and legal discrimination against minorities, including discrimination by law enforcement.

"Amanda is the perfect partner to work with me to get Ansleigha working for everyone. It's been a white men's club for far too long in this state. We are going to turn things upside down when we are elected in November," said a smiling Houndsler, to cheers.

Grimes' selection is not without controversy.

Conservatives immediately seized on her selection, but not only because of her young age.

"Not only is Ms. Grimes not qualified because of her youth and relative inexperience, what's worse is that Agatha Houndsler basically chose her, mainly, because of her race," said state Conservative Party Chairman Curtis Roos.

"Agatha Houndsler said back in January that she would pick a minority woman. For Agatha Houndsler, being a minority and a woman were the main requirements for the job. The main criteria and check boxes to check off. That's frightening that she would select someone simply because of their race or gender. It makes you wonder who she will appoint as governor if she wins," said Roos in an interview with the STAR Network.

The Houndsler campaign hit back, saying Grimes was not chosen "simply because of her race or gender."

"Amanda Grimes was selected because she is highly-qualified, she has a unique life experience, she has proven leadership skills, and she brings a fresh perspective to the campaign," said Houndsler campaign spokeswoman Alice Gunderson.

As for Grimes' reaction, she spoke at the press conference, with Houndsler standing next to her.

"I am tremendously honored and humbled to be chosen as Agatha Houndsler's running mate," Grimes said. "Thank you so much, Agatha. I can't wait to get out on the campaign trail and share our vision of a fairer, more equal Ansleigha with all the people of this state."

While her selection is historic, Grimes is not the first African-Grassadellian to hold a prominent role in Ansleigha politics.

Joseph "Bell" Green was chosen by Rosamond Burkes to be Burkes' running mate back in the 2020 election.

Green, a businessman from Danaecke, is running with Burkes again this year.

Houndsler and Grimes will go on to face Sam Baskingwood and his Lt. Gov., Nick Winsich, in the fall election.

They'll also face Burkes and Green in what will likely be a close three-way race for governor.

Agatha Houndsler squeaks out a win in Ansleigha's NAT gubernatorial primary

DANAECKE, Asl. -- After days of waiting and two recounts of the ballots, artist and psychology professor Agatha Houndsler has narrowly prevailed in Ansleigha's NAT gubernatorial primary.

Houndsler's opponent, state Sen. Paul Biddington (N-Churchtown) officially conceded Thursday afternoon.

The first count of the ballots found Biddington with a narrow lead of about 2,000 votes out of almost 1 million cast.

A recount put Houndsler narrowly ahead by about 5,500 votes.

A second, hand recount found Houndsler's lead changed only by a few votes.

The third count prompted Biddington to concede.

"It's clear the votes are trending in Agatha's favor. Rather than engage in legal battles and demanding more recounts, I've decided to concede the race to her. I wish her well," said Biddington at a Thursday afternoon press conference in Churchtown.

The two left-wing candidates had engaged in a tough battle that originally included three other candidates, who all subsequently ended their campaigns. 

Largely in agreement on major policy issues, the two candidates mostly differed in tone.

Biddington was largely criticized for being negative and his doomsday outlook, while Houndsler was notedly more optimistic and forward-thinking.

"The biggest difference between Paul and I is tone. I'm more positive, I'm more optimistic, more of a glass-half-full type person. Paul is the opposite. He's very negative, he's very dour," said Houndsler, back in April.

"I think Ansleighans want a governor who is optimistic and future-minded and excited about the future, not despairing and depressing," she added.

Both candidates went after incumbent Gov. Sam Baskingwood (C) for his tax policies, his crackdown on homeless people, and his insistence that welfare recipients either work or volunteer in order to receive state benefits.

"Sam Baskingwood is not a compassionate person," said Houndsler. "He doesn't care about people who are in need or people who are struggling. He doesn't care about immigrants, he doesn't care about houseless people, he doesn't care about the disabled and people who are unemployed. His mindset is all about helping other wealthy, Conservative, white men like himself."

Biddington offered similar sentiments on Baskingwood.

"Sam Baskingwood is a wealthy corporation's best friend," said Biddington. "And he's the working-class man's worst enemy."

The Baskingwood campaign, expectedly, disputed that characterization.

Jared Wemple, a deputy campaign press secretary, told GNN that under Baskingwood's leadership, "crime is down, homelessness is down, there are less drugs and perverts on the streets, our businesses have less hoops to jump through and have less taxes to pay, and our government is more efficient and responsive."

The Baskingwood campaign also went after Houndsler, calling her "a radical extremist who wants to teach little kids about transgenderism and wants to provide free drug injection sites for heroin and fentanyl users."

'Dangerous' is a word that both the Baskingwood and Houndsler campaigns use to describe their opponent.

"I don't think Ansleigha can afford four more years of Sam Baskingwood and the radical, Conservative agenda," said Houndsler. "How many women will have their bodily autonomy taken away, how many trans people will be discriminated against and threatened, how many elderly people will lose their state assistance, all because Conservatives want to make life harder for marginalized people," Houndsler said in an interview with The Ansleighan newspaper.

Polls show the coming three-way race between Baskingwood, Houndsler and Indepdenent candidate Rosamond Burkes is likely to be close.

Both parties are determined to win what is shaping up to be an exceedingly close race.

Upon her victory in the NAT primary, Houndsler was immediately endorsed by a host of prominent Nationalists and NAT-leaning groups, including POG Gov. Ramon Ramos, who chairs the Nationalist Governors Association (NATGA) and Emily's List, a pro-choice organization that backs women who champion abortion rights.

Houndsler was also endorsed by her predecessors: former NAT gubernatorial nominees Elliott Androlov, Mark Haller and Becky Grael.

Her most notable endorsement came from her former rival, however. 

Paul Biddington went on camera to endorse Houndsler.

"While Agatha and I had a difficult campaign, and I'm disappointed I lost this contest, what worries me even more is four more years of Sam Baskingwood. Agatha is a much better alternative to Sam Baskingwood. So I will happily cast my vote for her and encourage everyone else to vote for Agatha in November," said Biddington.

The Baskingwood campaign also responded to Houndsler's win, with the governor saying in a statement that he was "looking forward to meeting and debating Ms. Houndsler."

The governor also pledged a respectful campaign.

"Agatha Houndsler may be a radical, left-wing, extremist candidate. And she might have some far-out ideas that are out of the mainstream," he told a local TV news station in Koeurn. "But she is a nice person, and she is a major party's candidate for public office, and I think that entitles her to a fair, civil campaign with no personal attacks. So I'm pledging right now to run a clean campaign filled with decency and mutual respect."

If she wins in November, Houndsler will become not only the first woman governor of Ansleigha, but also the first Nationalist governor. The NAT has never held the governorship since statehood.

Houndsler would also become the first governor to come from the eastern side of the state, which is less-populated.

Ansleigha NAT Gubernatorial Primary
Agatha Houndsler	50.24%	499,366
Paul Biddington	49.76%	494,601
		993,968