Sunday, June 9, 2024

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 Houndsler50.24%499,366
Paul Biddington49.76%494,601
993,968

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