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.