Tara Hadley says she got 'robbed' twice but 'it's time to move on'

OXLEY HILLS, Wilk. -- Former Christon Mayor and two-time failed gubernatorial nominee Tara Hadley has ended her third campaign for governor in last place.

Hadley finished third in a three-way race with businessman Charlie Dunn and federal Sen. Bob Mellon.

She took 30.29% to Mellon's 34.83% and Dunn's 34.89%, respectively.

Hadley was the Conservative Party's nominee for governor in both the 2020 and 2016 elections.

In 2016, after initially winning the first tally, she narrowly lost after multiple recounts to Nationalist tech executive Tom Durick. The final hand-recount found Hadley had earned 49.87% to Durick's 50.13%, respectively.

She and her supporters insisted the race was "stolen" from her due to cheating by NAT politicians and elections officials.

However, no evidence of any cheating or wrongdoing has ever been presented by Hadley or any other party.

Hadley ran again in 2020, but this time lost by a more decisive margin to Durick. The race was still close, but not a razor-thing margin like the 2016 election was. In 2020, Hadley lost 47.88%-49.40%, respectively.

Again, like in 2016, Hadley claimed election "irregularities" led to her defeat.

She vowed to run again for a third time in the 2024 governor's race. And she followed through on that promise, despite top Conservative Party leaders urging her to drop out of the race.

One of the most infamous moments of the campaign came during a Conservative candidate debate in Wakestraw back in March, when federal Sen. Bob Mellon called on Hadley to drop out of the race.

"Tara, sweetie, you ran twice and you lost twice. And last time you lost by more than the first time. I just don't see how you can win this time if you couldn't win the last two times. It's time to step aside and let someone new pick up the torch," said Mellon.

His comments, including his sarcastic use of the term "sweetie," were roundly criticized as sexist, by Hadley and members of both political parties and various journalists.

But Hadley refused to drop out. Instead, she rallied her supporters, repeating on the campaign trail that "the third time's the charm."

She even had posters with that phrase made and hung up behind her on the podium at various campaign stops.

But it turns out, the third time wasn't the charm for Hadley. Not only did she lose her party's nomination for the first time, she came in a distant third-place.

And this time, there were no accusations of cheating or underhanded tactics.

"I lost. It's clear I lost. I don't think there was any wrongdoing or ballot stuffing or harvesting or anything like that. The flat out, plain, simple truth is I lost. The voters went a different direction, and you have to respect that," she told reporters at her election night "victory" rally in the suburban Oxley Hills, just west of Bradford.

Christon told reporters "we fought like hell to win this thing," and she insisted "we would have been a great governor and I'm confident we would have won in the fall election if I were nominated again."

However, "the Conservative voters of Wilkonshire have spoken, and I respect their will," said a somewhat despondent Hadley.

She acknowledged it was frustrating to have committed the last almost 12 years of her career to her three consecutive campaigns for governor.

"Clearly, being governor just isn't in the cards for me right now," she said, leaving open the possibility she may run again in the future.

"I don't ever close the door completely because you never know, but at this point, it's time to move on. It's time to move on to another goal, another gig, another mission."

She told reporters she plans to stay "politically engaged," though she declined to say what that exactly means.

Hadley also told her supporters on election night that she will be taking some time away, and is planning several months of travel and rest.

"I will be flying out to a tropical island next week. I don't want to say where specifically, because I'll probably have protestors and media follow me. And I just want to be left alone for a while," she joked.

"When I come back, though...back home here to Wilkonshire, which will always be home for me, I will not just sit around and go quietly into the night. I will remain politically engaged. I will continue to support Conservative candidates. And I will continue to champion conservative causes that put common sense first and politicians and political parties second," she said to cheers.

She congratulated Charlie Dunn on his win, and thanked Dunn and Bob Mellon for a "whirlwind" campaign.

"I want to thank both Bob Mellon and Charlie Dunn for a well-fought race. They made me a better candidate. They make our state a better place to live. They will give the Nationalists hell. And I'm happy and grateful for that. I want to wish them both well as Charlie heads into the fall election, he needs our support. I will be right there supporting him and doing what I can to help elect him. And I want to wish Senator Mellon well too, as he heads back to Mavocke to continue the good, righteous work of standing up to liberal and voting against their disastrous policies. We need Bob Mellon in the Senate. We need other people like him. God bless him for being there and being on the front lines. So I wish him well as he continues the fight."

"As for me, there is more to me than just running for governor. As you know, I'm a wife, a mother, and now a grandmother. And that's a big part of my life. And I intend to enjoy my family and spend time with them. But don't think for a minute I'm done with politics and I'm retiring. I might be out of this race, but I will not rest until we have common sense conservative leaders across this state and this country. Never give up. Never give in. I'm a fighter. People who know me best know that. And I will not rest until we have transformed our state and our country. Exactly how I'm going to make a difference and what role I'll play, I'm not sure yet. But I will stay busy fighting for you and fighting for Wilkonshire," she said to thunderous applause.

Tom O'Hearn blames primary loss on inadequate focus on social justice issues

BRADFORD, Wilk. -- Former Federal Sen. Tom O'Hearn is still reeling from his surprise loss for lieutenant governor on Tuesday.

The former ivy league-educated senator was considered a shoo-in for the Nationalist Party's nomination for lieutenant governor.

As a former federal senator, O'Hearn is highly revered in the state NAT party, and had a mountain of campaign cash to fund his campaign.

His opponent was somewhat known, but lacked the name recognition and political connections O'Hearn has.

However, O'Hearn ended up narrowly losing to African-Grassadellian activist James Marlowe, who had a fraction of the amount of campaign cash that O'Hearn had.

Marlowe beat O'Hearn 51%-49%, respectively, a difference of about 25,000 votes out of more than 1.3 million cast.

It was a humbling experience for O'Hearn, and in an interview with a Bradford radio station Friday, O'Hearn told hosts Sean McAvery and Nelson Guinness that he blames his loss on himself.

"I talked about election integrity, I talked about economic equality, I talked about holding corporations accountable," O'Hearn told the radio duo.

"But what I didn't spend enough time talking about, and I should have talked about more, was the racial disparities in our state. I didn't talk enough about racial inclusion and diversity. I didn't talk enough about how homelessness is plaguing our minority communities. I didn't talk enough about educational inequities. I didn't talk about police brutality against African-Grassadellian men. I should have talked about these issues more," continued O'Hearn.

"Mr. Marlowe did talk about these issues, and that proved to be a winning theme that his campaign translated into a win. So, it's really my own fault for not focusing on the issues that matter to people. I should have read the room better," said O'Hearn.

Marlowe is an African-Grassadellian activist who has spent years campaigning for increased housing for Black Wilkonshireans. He's also led anti-police rallies protesting police brutality. And he's led the fight for increased opportunities and equity in public schools for young Black students.

His protests and words have at times proven controversial. At several anti-police demonstrations in Bradford and Christon back in 2020, the demonstrations turned violent. Police accused Marlowe of either fueling the flames and inflaming protestors' anger, or not doing enough to stop the violence.

"This is a man who encouraged protestors to throw bricks through windows, who encouraged protestors to loot businesses and attack police officers," then-Christon Police Chief Tom Unridge told the STAR Network back in 2020.

Marlowe has disputed claims he espoused or overlooked violence. But he did say he understood why protestors were resorting to violence.

"When you have white police officers arresting, detaining, mistreating, beating innocent Black young men (and women), hell yeah people are going to be fired up and are going to throw bricks and sticks. You don't kill Black people and not hear about it from our community. We will not stand by while innocent Black folk are victimized by police," Marlowe said in a 2021 interview on the STAR Network.

Conservatives used Marlowe's anti-police history against him back in 2022 when he ran for the Federal Senate against incumbent John Agnew (C).

Agnew won that race 56%-43%, respectively.

And this time around, as Marlowe runs for lieutenant governor, Conservatives are already raising Marlowe's anti-police record.

TV commercials criticizing Marlowe for anti-police demonstrations and violence have already begun airing statewide.

"It's astounding to me that the Wilkonshire Nationalist Party allows a radical, left-wing, anti-police, violent criminal to run under their party's banner," said former state Attorney General Pete Gioulianis, who is running for federal Senate this year.

"That says a lot about the Nationalist Party," said Gioulianis.

Marlowe defended himself again this week, telling Wilkonshire Public Radio that Conservatives are twisting the truth about his advocacy work.

"I have never espoused violence. I have never encouraged violence. These right-wingers are taking my legitimate charity work and activism and they are making it sound like I'm a gang leader. That couldn't be further from the truth. But the reason they're distorting the truth is because they're scared of social justice. They're scared of equality for Black people. They're scared of a world in which minorities have rights and have equal access and opportunity. And I won't stop fighting for equality, even if they lie about me and threaten me. I won't stop," he vowed.

O'Hearn also came to Marlowe's defense.

"He's (Marlowe) being portrayed as a thug by the Conservatives. When in reality, he's a civic leader. He's a community organizer who has fought for minorities and fought for equal housing, for fair employment, fair wages, for fair treatment from police. There's nothing radical about that. But the Conservatives will take legitimate activism and advocacy and try to twist it into something it's not. They try to scare people with their scare tactics. And I believe the people of Wilkonshire will see right through that old tactic," said O'Hearn.

Former Wilkonshire Gov. Caroline Jepsey, who is running for federal Senate against Gioulianis, also defended Marlowe in a campaign stop just outside New Dunslee, Friday evening.

"I've known James Marlowe for many years, and he is a brilliant, bright, energetic young leader. He believes in racial equality. He believes in lifting up Black Grassadellians and all Grassadellians of color. He is doing important work in our inner-cities, and it's sad that the Conservatives are taking the valuable work he's doing and they're trying to twist it and turn it into something it's not," said Jepsey.

Outgoing NAT Gov. Tom Durick also praised Marlowe, telling Wilkonshire Public Radio that Conservatives are trying to do "a political hit job" on Marlowe.

"What do they do when they don't like you or what you stand for? They tell people you're violent. You're angry. You're a threat. You're dangerous. You're radical. That's what they're doing to James. But the people of Wilkonshire know James. They got to know him back in 2022 when he ran for Senate. They know him from his activism. And the people of Wilkonshire are smarter than that. They can see these political attacks for what they are. It's just a smear campaign, that's all. Oldest trick in the book," said Durick.

Meanwhile, Conservative candidate for lieutenant governor, Tom Rose, has so far stayed quiet on Marlowe's anti-police activism.

Asked about the controversy on Saturday at the Wilkonshire State Fair, Rose, a former Evangelical pastor, told reporters, "I think Wilkonshireans want a lieutenant governor who is focused on the future, and who puts the people first, not special interest groups, not political parties, not a certain agenda. We haven't had a lieutenant governor who put the people first in a very long time, and I intent to bring trust back to the lieutenant governor's office."

***Election Results -- Wilkonshire Lieutenant Governor Race -- NAT Nomination***

686,337	659,283				Total Votes:	1,345,619
Marlowe	O'Hearn
51.01%	48.99%				VTO: 17%

After recount, Charlie Dunn prevails in Wilkonshire's CNS primary for governor

TEAUPEDERIE, Wilk. -- Just 768 votes. That's how many votes pushed Conservative businessman Charlie Dunn over the edge in the Conservative primary election for governor.

Dunn, who owns an office supply company based in Teaupederie, just barely edged out Conservative Federal Sen. Bob Mellon in the race for party's nomination for governor.

In the first count, Dunn led by Mellon by almost 6,000 votes.

But Dunn led Mellon by less than one-half of one percent, which triggered an automatic recount by state elections officials.

After the recount, Dunn held just a 768-vote lead over Mellon, which state officials attributed to a few minor errors in counting, but mostly to a surge in last-minute votes for Mellon.

"We had several thousand ballots arrive by mail after election night, and most of those ballots that came in late went to Bob Mellon. He benefited greatly from a last-minute drop of ballots in his favor," said Secretary of State Hannah Meade, a Nationalist.

Some votes came from overseas and military voters too. Those ballots often arrive after election day. They're still valid votes as long as they were postmarked before election night.

In the end, Mellon conceded the race to Dunn.

"It's heart-breaking to lose this race by just 768 votes. You can't get much closer than that. Out of almost 1.3 million cast. That's pretty darn close," Mellon told supporters at a press conference in New Dunslee.

"But we've had two counts of the votes. Charlie Dunn led both counts. We closed the gap, but not enough. He's still in the lead, and it's clear there are no votes left to count. Another recount would probably not change the outcome. So I've made the difficult decision to suspend my campaign for governor. I called Charlie Dunn and conceded to him earlier this afternoon, and I ask all Wilkonshire Conservative voters to cast your ballot for him this fall," Mellon said.

After several days of holding off on declaring victory, with Mellon's concession, and a concession from former Christon Mayor Tara Hadley, who came in third place, Dunn held a televised press conference at his campaign headquarters in Teaupederie.

"I want to thank Bob Mellon and Tara Hadley for an energetic primary campaign. They both raised a lot of good issues, and really, on most issues, we have similar views. We all are Conservatives. We all want lower taxes. We all want small businesses to succeed. We all want government to get out of the way and let the people live their lives. We all want less bureaucracy and less federal intrusion in our state affairs. We all want individual freedom and liberty. So, I think the primary race was a great opportunity for us to discuss the things we agree on and the few areas where we have minor differences," said Dunn.

He quickly turned his attention to his NAT opponent, Lt. Gov. David Handley.

"Now we have to pivot to the fall election, where we are going up against David Handley and the Nationalist Party machine," said Dunn. "They are going to pull out all stops to beat us. They have been in power for 16 years, and they know the voters are pissed off at them, and they will twist anything we say, they will distort everything we do, they will manipulate the media and lie and make fake news up to turn the voters against us. They'll do anything to cling to power. But we are not going to back down and we are not going to be weak. We are ready for this battle. We are ready to stand strong. We are ready to convince the people of Wilkonshire that our vision for this state's future is far better, far fairer and far more attainable than the NAT, liberal, left-wing agenda that is being pushed by David Handley, Tom Durick, James Marlowe and others."

No polls on the Handley-Dunn race have been published yet, but most political commentators rank the race as a "toss-up."

***Wilkonshire Primary Election -- Conservative Race for Governor -- Official Results***

449,333	390,133	448,565
Dunn	Hadley	Mellon
34.89%	30.29%	34.83%

Total Votes:	1,288,032
VTO: 16%

David Handley will be NAT nominee in Wilkonshire gubernatorial race

BRADFORD, Wilk. -- Wilkonshire Nationalists will have a young nominee for governor, who, if elected, could become the youngest governor in state history.

The five-way race for governor among Wilkonshire's Nationalists has come to an end, with Lt. Gov. David Handley taking the most votes.

Handley hardly won a mandate from voters. Under Wilkonshire law, whichever candidate wins a simple plurality, or simply the most votes, wins the primary election. Handley won just 23.49%, respectively.

But that 23% was more than any of his four opponents. Former state Attorney General Reed Powell came in a close second place, winning 21.58%, while state Sen. Dean Albaugh was right behind with 21.42%, respectively.

Businessman Michael Pike was not far behind the top three; Pike earned 19.39%, while state Rep. Rod Winkleton trailed significantly with only 14.13%, respectively.

That means Handley, a two-term lieutenant governor who has served closely with outgoing NAT Gov. Tom Durick, will take the reins of the state party and attempt to lead the Wilkonshire NAT to an historic fifth consecutive term in the governor's office.

Nationalists have controlled Wilkonshire's governorship for almost 16 years, with both Durick and his predecessor Caroline Jepsey serving two back-to-back terms.

Conservatives, meanwhile, are itching to wrest control of the governorship from Nationalists. Only one Conservative has ever held the state's governorship since statehood, and it was only briefly -- for just over a year. 

That lone Conservative governor was former federal Attorney General John Agnew, who served as the state's interim governor until his election to the federal Senate in 2010.

Now, after a nearly 16-year dry spell, Conservatives are anxious to hit the pavement and make their case to Wilkonshireans.

"After 16 years of failed Nationalist policies, Wilkonshireans are hungry for common sense conservative policies that put the people, the taxpayers, and public safety first," state CNS chairman Don Teaguen told the NPF.

It's a common theme among the three Conservative candidates seeking their party's nomination.

Tara Hadley, the former mayor of Christon and a twice-failed nominee for governor, is running for the third time in a row.

Hadley, who came exceedingly close to winning the governorship in both 2020 and 2016, has leaned in heavily to right-wing conspiracy theories. She attributes both her losses for governor to cheating and errors in the secretary of state's office, and she has made law and order a central theme of her campaign.

"As mayor of Christon, I saw first-hand the crime we have in this state, and I saw the failed liberal policies at the state level that sent violent criminals to rehab instead of prison. I saw how imbecilic Nationalist politicians let violent criminals out of prison early. I saw how repeat offenders were booked into jail for a couple hour and then released back into the community, even after dozens of arrests and convictions. I've seen hundreds or thousands of Wilkonshireans who have had their cars stolen, their homes broken into, who have been assaulted by homeless people and victimized by gangs. And Nationalist politicians have done nothing to stop the assault on public safety in this state," she said in a recent TV interview.

Teaupederie businessman Charlie Dunn had similar criticisms on crime, although he has eschewed many of the conspiracy theories Hadley has embraced.

"I think the Nationalist party and Nationalist party politicians have failed our state," Dunn said in a TV interview with the GBC last week. "We have record crime. We have record inflation. We have record bad scores in our public schools. We have record traffic in the Bradford-Christon corridor. We have record office vacancies in downtown Bradford and Christon and elsewhere. I think it's time for a change. I think people are hungry for change."

Federal Senator Bob Mellon, who is also seeking the CNS nomination for governor, agrees, but was more pointed in his criticism.

Mellon, known for his colorful language and humorous quips, told GBC Radio that "Liberal Nationalist politicians have put Wilkonshire in the toilet" with their "failed liberal policies."

"How much longer will the people of Wilkonshire tolerate liberal politicians who fail to get criminals off the street. Who spend all our tax dollars on pointless social programs that don't actually help anyone. Who worry more about climate change than the economy. Who have lost more jobs than just about any other state in this country. How long will Wilkonshireans stand for it? I can tell you, from all my traveling around this state and from all the hundreds or thousands of people I meet every month, I can tell you that Wilkonshireans are mad as hell. And they're ready to fight for change," Mellon said.

Nationalists dispute those Conservative talking points.

Handley himself, in a sit-down interview at the Wilkonshire State Fair this week, said Conservative complaints about crime are "overblown."

"Governor Durick and I and others have been working to expand our prisons and jails so we can get more criminals off the streets. We're trying to reform our bail process, so that it's fairer and more equitable for all Wilkonshireans. And we're working to hire more prosecutors and public defenders so that our court system is more efficient and can handle the increased caseload," Handley told local journalists.

Conservatives say that's not enough.

"Adding more prosecutors and public defenders helps, but it's not enough. Nationalists politicians directly exacerbated the crime problem in this state. They gave criminals a free pass and let them out of jail with no repercussions, with no stipulations. And now they've realized their policies are disastrous, and they're trying to fix it," Charlie Dunn told a group of undecided voters at the Circaylah County Fair last week. "At least they're trying to fix it and they're doing something. But we wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for all the failed NAT policies and failed politicians who put us in this mess."

Nationalists insist the Wilkonshire economy is on the uptick. After the pandemic, with remote work increasing, corporate rentals in high-rise buildings did plummet, as they have done across the nation and in all first-world countries. But just last week, Bradford city officials said two large companies leased office space in the city's central business district.

And in the education sector, math and reading scores were better this year among Wilkonshire students than scores were in the last five years.

"It's taking us a while to recover from the pandemic. From the financial impact, the impact to our kids, the impact to our infrastructure," Handley told voters at the State Fair. "But we are slowly improving. And if we elect pragmatic, level-minded leaders, we will continue our sensible recovery. We will come out stronger than we were before. If we elect reactionary Conservative politicians who want to completely upend everything and cause upheaval, that will set us back."

Handley's fellow NAT opponents for governor held largely similar views. Powell, the former state attorney general, espoused more middle-of-the-road views, telling voters the night before the primary election that Nationalists had to appeal to disaffected independent and even Conservative voters.

"We can't win statewide elections this year if we aren't reaching out to folks on the other side," Powell said in a campaign stop in Evanston, in the far eastern Wilkonshire suburbs of Lanakis.

Rod Winkleton, another centrist, had similar views.

"People are mad at the Nationalist party because we've been in power for decades now and people feel like they're not much better off," Winkleton told reporters at a campaign stop in rural Nephariles County in the north-central part of the state. "We have to build a coalition of our team plus some others who might otherwise vote the other way."

Businessman Michael Pike agreed, telling reporters in the state capitol of Newberry last week that "A strong economy and business-friendly policies are not a Nationalist or Conservative thing, they are a common sense thing."

But state Sen. Dean Albaugh pushed a more left-wing, liberal agenda. Albaugh's progressive populist policies resonated with poor voters, rural voters and blue collar voters. 

Albaugh assailed Conservatives' proposals to cut taxes for wealthy Wilkonshireans. He eviscerated Conservative candidates for suggesting corporate tax cuts. And he blamed state Nationalist leaders for being too moderate.

"We don't win by moving to the right on all these issues. We win by standing up and telling voters, 'This is what Conservatives want to do, and this is what we will do.' If we compare and contrast and present the dichotomy clearly, voters will move to our side, because the voters know the Conservative ideology is flawed," said Albaugh last week while campaigning in suburban New Dunslee.

As the party's official nominee, what direction the state party takes as it heads into the fall general election will largely be up to David Handley and his campaign.

The lieutenant governor has championed progressive policies, but has so far not drifted far to the left. He calls his policies "Pragmatic Progressivism."

The NAT nominee for lieutenant governor, James Marlowe, an African-Grassadellian activist from inner-city Christon, is considerably further left on the political spectrum than Handley.

Marlowe narrowly beat former federal Sen. Tom O'Hearn to win the NAT's nomination for lieutenant governor. 

In his victory speech, Marlowe pledged to "nudge" Handley and state Nationalist leaders further to the left.

"We've had liberal-lite policies for years now. We've had two centrist NAT governors. And we're grateful for their leadership. But the time for economic equity and equal opportunity for all Wilkonshireans is here, and we're not going to pass up that opportunity.

Marlowe calls himself a "socialist," and does not shy away from the term. Conservatives have pounced on his left-wing views, already airing TV commercials that show video of Marlowe describing his socialist views.

"James Marlowe is a radical left-wing activist and a self-described 'socialist.' And now he's the mainstream of the Wilkonshire Nationalist Party," a narrator says in a pro-Conservative campaign commercial.

The state CNS is confident that twice-failed lieutenant governor candidate Tom Rose, a former pastor, will prevail against the overtly liberal Marlowe.

"I'm confident voters will look at their two choices for lieutenant governor and they'll see a radical socialist on one side, and a reasonable, pro-business, pro-capitalist pastor on the other side. I think they'll back Tom Rose quite easily," said state CNS chairman Teaguen.

Although Marlowe is decisively left-wing, and his politics may be soundly rejected in the vast rural reaches of the state, he is popular among minorities. And he previously ran for federal Senate in 2022, losing to Conservative incumbent John Agnew. But while his run for Senate was unsuccessful, it gave him increased name-recognition and allowed him to build alliances around the state.

Furthermore, Marlowe's left-wing racial equality policies resonate in urban areas like Bradford and inner-Christon.

The statewide elections for governor and lieutenant governor may largely come down to which party's voters turn out to vote on election day.

Wilkonshire is a battleground state, and has roughly the same number of NAT and CNS voters. In 2016, Tom Durick (N) beat Tara Hadley (C) in the race for governor by just 11,000 votes out of more than 2.3 million cast.

So the state is used to close elections. And Wilkonshireans may need to prepare for close races this time around too.

***Wilkonshire NAT Primary Election Results -- Governor -- Official Results***

318,243	292,286	191,361	262,631	290,126	Total Votes:	1,354,647
Handley	Powell	Winkleton	Pike	Albaugh		VTO: 17%
23.49%	21.58%	14.13%	19.39%	21.42%

Marsha Dawes wins Marchenay's CNS senate primary

CHARRINGTON, Mar. -- Wealthy millionaire businessman Burke Azurjean has suffered a second defeat in Marchenay politics.

The former Bankcorp CEO conceded to downstate Assemblywoman Marsha Dawes last night, after the two Conservative candidates endured a hard-fought race for the party's nomination for federal senate.

The final numbers from Secretary of State Ari Kavarnath showed Dawes ahead with 50.74% to Azurjean's 49.26%, respectively, a difference of about 30,000 votes.

Dawes will go on to the fall election to challenge NAT incumbent Sen. Heidi Wolmach. The race is rated as a "toss-up" by most political prognosticators.

Azurjean was hoping to win his party's backing, even donating more than $1.7 million of his own money to his campaign.

But Conservative voters narrowly sided with Dawes, who has served southern Marchenay in the Assembly for years.

Dawes entered the race first, and criticized Azurjean for "coming to the table late in the game," although Azurjean declared his candidacy back in March.

His narrow loss to Dawes is the second painful election defeat he's faced in the past two years.

In 2022, Azurjean finished second in the Conservative primary election for governor, only 568 votes behind eventual governor-elect Mike Shannon (C).

"Once again, we have another extremely close election, and it appears the numbers are not in our favor," Azurjean told his supporters at his election night rally at a suburban Madagen wine bar. "It's clear to me that this race has been won by Assemblywoman Dawes, and I congratulate her on her win."

Dawes, at her election night celebration in Wynbrook in far-southern Marchenay, thanked Azurjean for a "robust" debate.

"Burke Azurjean ran for governor and he lost by a sliver. He ran for senate, and he lost by not very much. While I am grateful for winning my party's support and nomination, we have to acknowledge and recognize that Burke Azurjean has won hundreds of thousands of votes over the last two years. Hundreds of thousands, over a million actually, Marchenayans have chosen him with their votes. And while he didn't win, he has amassed a large amount of support, and clearly his message is resonating with Marchenayans. So Burke, thank you for a hard-fought race. Thank you for bringing important issues into the dialogue. And thank you for your willingness to serve Marchenay," said Dawes.

Azurjean admitted to reporters on election night that it was "frustrating" to have lost two close elections in a row. But he said he still believed in the people of Marchenay and the power of democracy.

"We live in a democracy, and we believe that whichever candidate wins the most votes has the confidence of the party. Marsha Dawes got more votes than me. The voters picked her, and I respect that," said Azurjean.

Still, the loss has to be stinging. Azurjean poured over $1.7 million of his own money into his senate campaign. And he poured millions more into his 2022 failed gubernatorial bid as well.

It's unclear what the future holds for Azurjean, who two years ago stepped down from his high-paying job as CEO of Bankcorp.

There's talk that Azurjean may be offered a political commentator position with the STAR Network. He may write a book, and may run for another office in the future.

"I haven't decided what I'm going to do next. I do know I'm not going to just quietly go away and fade into the background. We have too many problems in this country for good people to sit on the sidelines and not say anything. So I will stay involved. But what that involvement looks like, I'm not sure yet," he told reporters Monday.

Azurjean did pledge to campaigning for and helping elect Dawes in the general election.

"Marsha is a thousand times better of a choice than Heidi Wolmach. So I will happily campaign for her, if she wants me to, and I'll do whatever I can to make sure she secures that 49th senate seat," Azurjean said, referring to the number "49," which is the amount of seats needed for a majority in the senate.

Currently, Nationalists have 54 seats while Conservatives have only 42. The CNS will have to gain seven new seats, and hold all their current seats, in order to win back the senate chamber.

The Heidi Wolmach campaign congratulated Dawes on her victory in the Conservative primary, but quickly pivoted to attacking Dawes for her "radical" views.

"Marsha Dawes is extreme on abortion. She has voted to strip away woman's reproductive freedom. She's an extremist on guns. She's voted to let people buy assault rifles and lethal weapons that have no business being on our streets. She continues to back the extremist Benjamin Netanyahu regime in Israel in their illegal war on Palestinians. And Senator Wolmach looks forward to presenting Marsha Dawes' radical views to Marchenayans," said campaign spokeswoman Sarah Peoples.

Dawes hit back Monday night in an interview on the STAR Network, telling conservative host Brad Upkins that "Heidi Wolmach is one of the most dangerous senators in Mavocke right now," and that "her anti-Israel stance, her pro-taxes on families, her anti-children and family policies are literally killing and robbing Marchenayans."

Marchenay Senate Primary -- Conservative Party -- Official Results
	Marsha Dawes	50.74%	1,040,359
	Burke Azurjean	49.26%	1,009,927
			-----------------
	VTO: 18%		2,050,286

Tom Muddleford consolidates NAT support after winning party's nomination for NC governor

PARKINS, N. Ceona -- Despite a crowded primary race with eight candidates, North Ceona Senate Minority Leader Tom Muddleford has quickly coalesced the support of his party and former challengers.

In the race for governor, Muddleford won the NAT's nomination, defeating seven well-known and well-funded opponents.

In a contest with a large field of candidates, Muddleford only won with 17% of the vote -- hardly a mandate. 

However, under North Ceona law, there is no minimum threshold a candidate must attain in a primary election. Whichever candidate wins a plurality, no matter how small, wins the primary election and their party's nomination. 

Put simply, the candidate that wins the most votes, no matter how small the percentage of the total votes, advances to the general election in the fall.

At his election-night speech at a wine bar in the upscale suburb of Lea Hills, southeast of Parkins, Muddleford pledged to bring the state NAT party together.

"This is not just the Tom Muddleford campaign. This is the campaign for all Nationalists and all working-class people who believe in good government, who believe in the value of government; to help lift people out of poverty; to protect women's rights over their own bodies; to empower families of all kinds, not just the ones that look traditional. This campaign is for people who support all of those ideas and values," Muddleford said.

The day after North Ceona's primary election, Muddleford moved quickly to select his running mate. He asked Susie Forszak, CEO of Forward Industries, a major aeronautics company head-quartered in the northeast suburbs of Parkins, to join his ticket as his candidate for lieutenant governor.

Within just two days after the primary, Muddleford had already secured endorsements from all of his previous NAT challengers.

"Tom Muddleford is the right man to beat Ty Jaimeson and the radical Conservative agenda in Parkins," said Lexerna businessman John Thurgood, who finished second in the primary.

Lawyer Blair Elliott, also of Lexerna, likewise heaped praise on Muddleford.

"I am happy and proud to endorse Tom Muddleford for governor. He is an experienced and well-qualified candidate who has dedicated years of public service to helping the people of North Ceona," said Elliott.

State Sen. Katie Pollock, of south Parkins, who was reportedly also under consideration to be Muddleford's lieutenant governor, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that she would "happily" work to get Muddleford elected.

"North Ceona needs Tom Muddleford. He fights for low-income North Ceonans, he fights for women, he fights for minorities, he fights for LGBTQ+ folks...he is the leader North Ceona needs right now," said Pollock.

Fellow challengers Sajid Roushan, Lisa Campion and Tom Denton issued similar statements congratulating Muddleford and vowing to assist his campaign.

Despite the diverse coalition Muddleford quickly assembled, his race against Jaimeson will still be an uphill battle.

The young governor, who is seeking a second term, remains popular. 

Jaimeson has good relations with state legislators and local officials across the state, he has largely avoided controversial social issues, and hasn't made any serious gaffes, unlike his Conservative counterpart Mark Ellsworth in neighboring East Deschire.

Jaimeson also has a large bank account. As of the last campaign finance report, he had raised $8.1 million, with $6.6 million in cash-on-hand.

Muddleford has raised $4.3 million so far, with about $900,000 in cash-on-hand.

Supporters of Muddleford say that, while the Senate Minority Leader is behind in the money race, now that he has won the party's nomination, the donations will pour in.

"Tom Muddleford is winning support from Nationalists all over North Ceona and beyond," Pat Riley, chair of the North Ceona Nationalist Party, told the STAR Network. "I look for the money gap to narrow significantly over the next month."

Still, Jaimeson remains the favorite. While the governor only narrowly won his last contest in 2020, he enjoys high approval ratings, he avoided a nasty primary fight with his own party, and the conservative tilt of North Ceona electoral politics is in his favor.

The last Jaimeson-Muddleford poll, conducted before Muddleford secured the NAT nomination, had Jaimeson leading with 53% to Muddleford's 46%, respectively.

"This race is by no means a sure thing, but at this point, Ty Jaimeson remains in the lead and continues to have the advantage," political scientist Rod Snyder told the STAR Network, noting that a lot could change in the next three months.

If Muddleford does pull off an upset against Jaimeson, Muddleford will become the state's first NAT governor.

***North Ceona Primary Election for Governor -- NAT -- Unofficial Results***

149,452	119,869	132,491	102,463	84,270	65,203	95,406	87,952
17.85%	14.32%	15.83%	12.24%	10.07%	7.79%	11.40%	10.51%
Muddleford	Forszak	Thurgood	Pollock	Campion	Denton	Elliott	Roushan

Shannon noncommittal on Azurjean vs Dawes race

MADAGEN, Mar. -- Marchenay Gov. Mike Shannon is not taking sides in the state's contested Senate primary election, he announced Monday.

Shannon, a Conservative, had been asked repeatedly if he would back fellow Conservative businessman Burke Azurjean for federal Senate, or Conservative Assemblywoman Marsha Dawes.

Both Azurjean and Dawes are vying for the party's nomination to take on NAT Sen. Heidi Wolmach, who is up for reelection in the fall.

Dawes, a longtime assemblywoman with strong conservative credentials from southern Marchenay, was the first to declare her candidacy for the seat. She has received endorsements from the more right-wing side of the party.

Azurjean, a moderate who previously ran unsuccessfully against Shannon for governor back in 2022, is seen as a centrist candidate who could better appeal to independent and swing voters. However, Azurjean entered the race after Dawes, and there is concern among party leaders that he may not be able to win over the party's most loyal voters in next week's primary election.

When asked which candidate he is supporting, Gov. Shannon said he would "be happy either way."

"They're both great candidates. I've known Marsha for years and she's been a great assembly member for her district. Burke Azurjean is also a great conservative mind who would represent our state well. So I really don't think you can go wrong with either one," said Shannon to a group of reporters at the National Robotics Convention at the Madagen Convention Center.

The governor was at the convention speaking to leaders in the robotics industry.

Both Azurjean and Dawes have been highlighting their closeness with Shannon, who is seen as the leader of Marchenay's Conservative Party.

"Ever since Mike Shannon beat me in the 2022 governor's race, I've worked to get him elected and to enact his conservative, constitution-focused agenda," said Azurjean, in a recent campaign TV commercial.

Dawes, meanwhile, has pointed out that her voting record has strongly overlapped with Shannon's when Shannon was in the state Senate.

"I am proud to support the same policies and rights that Mike Shannon has fought for. I am a proud gun owner, a strong advocate for small businesses and lower taxes, a strong advocate for healthy, traditional families, and a fierce opponent of the federal government overreaching and telling Marchenayans how to live their lives," Dawes said in her own campaign commercial.

A spokesperson for the governor repeated that, while both candidates may imply or suggest he is backing their campaign, the governor is in fact remaining neutral.

"Gov. Shannon supports both Burke Azurjean and Marsha Dawes equally. He is not taking a side. They are both strong, reliable Conservative leaders, and the governor would be delighted to see either one in the federal Senate. He believes both candidates are superior to Heidi Wolmach and can beat her in November," said John Dulaney, a spokesperson for the governor's office.

Among the high-profile groups supporting Azurjean are the Grassadellia Chamber of Commerce, the Marchenay Association of Industry and Business, and Bridge Builders, a good-governance group that advocates for bipartisanship.

Dawes has been endorsed by the National Rifle Club, the Grassadellian Conservative Union, and the Grassadellian Farmers Alliance.

In the money race, Azurjean has raised significantly more money for his campaign, about $7 million so far. However, $3 million of that came from his own pocket. As a multi-millionaire, he has deep pockets he can tap for additional campaign funds. Azurjean currently has $2.1 million in cash-on-hand.

Dawes is not as fortunate. Her net worth is significantly smaller. However, the assemblywoman has strong financial support from many major players in the conservative political arena. She has raised $4.3 million for her campaign so far. Dawes has $1.1 million in cash-on-hand.

Marchenay's other top Conservatives, federal senators Sidney Leeland and Megan Sellious, are also remaining neutral in the Azurjean-Dawes contest.

Federal Sen. Kathy Bernanski (N) is also up for reelection this fall. However, only Conservative State Rep. David LaSaria is running, unopposed, on the CNS side.

Wolmach's race is rated as a toss-up by most political prognosticators, while Bernanski's race is rated either safely NAT or NAT-leaning.