Martinek holds narrow lead in Roddenshire governor's race

LACARTHY, Rodd. -- Former state Attorney General Andrew Martinek (N) continues to lead Conservative Governor Jon Cortano in Roddenshire's governor's race, a new poll finds.

Cortano, who is seeking his second term, is slightly behind Martinek, earning 48.2% to Martinek's 50.9%, respectively, according to the new poll.

The poll was commissioned by the Roddenshire Today newspaper, based out of Lacarthy. It has a margin of plus or minus three points, which means the race is within the margin of error.

Cortano narrowly pulled off a win four years ago against Nationalist incumbent Gov. Mona Rodgers, who was seeking a historic third term.

That same year, Martinek lost reelection himself to the attorney generalship, losing narrowly to Conservative Sean Bracken.

Shortly after his loss, and after Rodgers was appointed Federal Secretary of State by President Jim McCaren, Martinek announced his intention to challenge Cortano in 2024.

Roddenshire is a liberal state, although Conservatives sometimes are able to pull of surprising upsets.

Cortano won his governorship in 2020 based largely on the economy, taxes, and assailing Rodgers for being a "career politician."

The governor is now hoping his support for the proposed Bi-State/Cross-Strait Bridge on the M1 freeway, which would connect Roddenshire's far eastern tip with Damoign's north coast, bypassing the Grassadellia City inner-urban area, will appeal to voters who are sick of long commutes and some of the nation's worst traffic jams.

Cortano has also lowered taxes, saying it was necessary to unburden families who are already struggling with high costs of living and inflation.

Contrary to many Conservative governors, Cortano has actually increased spending on education, though he has redirected how many of the funds are allocated. He has also championed and signed charter schools into law, something Nationalists were bitterly opposed to.

Cortano has invested some money in public transport, which is particularly important in the northwestern and southeastern ends of the state, where suburban areas border Mavocke and Grassadellia City, respectively. But he has spent more money on fixing roads, a policy Nationalists take issue with.

On healthcare, Cortano, a devout Roman Catholic, has largely left abortion laws the same as they were when he took office. He has voiced his personal opposition, and he attempted to require teenage girls to get parental consent before obtaining abortions, but the NAT-controlled state legislature defeated the bill Cortano proposed.

Martinek and Nationalists see an opening in Cortano's race for reelection. The state is overwhelmingly liberal, and Nationalist win the vast majority of elections. Additionally, Cortano's relative youth (age 48) helped him in 2020 against the elderly Rodgers, 73.

But this time around, it's Martinek who is younger, at age 44.

The former attorney general has said he wants to increase funding for public transport, climate change mitigation, and education. He also is backing a state medicaid program, a move Cortano strongly opposes. Martinek also says he will raise taxes on wealthy Roddenshireans, as well as increase the state's sales tax, something Cortano calls "insane."

"Why would you want to increase taxes on Roddenshireans right now when the economy is still struggling after COVID-19, people are struggling with inflation, people can't afford their mortgages or rents. It's just insane. Only a Nationalist would propose a tax increase on struggling families," said Cortano in a press conference in Lacarthy on Thursday.

Martinek also wants to require builders and developers to include affordable housing for low-income residents in all new large-scale housing projects. Cortano opposes that idea, saying he will reduce red tape and restrictions on zoning to increase new housing construction.

"I've already waived some requirements and eased some zoning restrictions to allow developers to build more housing, but I'll continue to do that and continue to support the construction industry if reelected," Cortano said Thursday.

Martinek responded Saturday at a campaign stop in Woldham County on the state's northeast tip, telling voters Cortano hasn't done anything meaningful to make housing more affordable since he's been elected.

"What has he done? He's had almost four years to do something, and instead of requiring people to build affordable housing, he's eased zoning laws. All that has done is allow developers to build more luxury housing in places they weren't previously allowed to do it before," said Martinek.

In the money race, Martinek has raised more money, although it's close.

The former attorney general has raised $8.1 million, while the Cortano campaign has raised $6.9 million.

Those figures do not include money spent from outside groups that are either directly or indirectly supporting each candidate.

The next financial disclosure will take place on November 1.

Humiliating loss for Maryanne Rudding in Wellington Senate race

LONGBLADE, Well. -- A former state attorney general is licking her wounds after a humiliating defeat in Wellington's Senate primary race.

Maryann Rudding (N), was expected to win the NAT's nomination for Senate.

As a former attorney general, Rudding, 54, has high name recognition, connections with party leaders in the state and nationally, and has proven she can win a statewide race.

But Wellington's Nationalist voters delivered a blow to Rudding last week, when they picked former NAT Senate nominee Jane Paulson over Rudding.

Paulson won by just a hair of the vote: 51.2% to Rudding's 48.8%, respectively.

And Paulson has previously ran for Senate, back in 2020, so she enjoys high name recognition and campaign connections too.

However, Rudding was the favorite in the race, and she enjoyed support from most of Wellington's top Nationalist figures.

It was a painful loss for the one-term attorney general, who lost reelection to that post in 2022.

"It's a tough night," said Rudding at her primary election night celebration in Longblade in the state's far northeast corner. "We were hoping for a different result, but we have to respect the will of Wellington's Nationalist voters."

Further south in McCune County in the central part of the state, Paulson thanked the voters for delivering a narrow but decisive vote.

"From the bottom of my heart, I want to say thank you to all the voters who ticked my name on the ballot," said Paulson, 44, a businesswoman and entrepreneur. "Now we have to unite together so we can take back this Senate seat and bring common-sense Wellington values to the Senate."

The two women were competing for a chance to challenge incumbent Conservative Senator Lindsey Bronure, who is up for reelection this year.

"Lindsey Bronure is a rubber stamp for Jon Ralston," said Paulson during a primary debate sponsored by a local Lions Club in Arrowhead County. "We need someone who will vote independently and not be spineless to pressure from the political parties."

Rudding expressed similar sentiment, telling the audience that Bronure "mindlessly votes for whatever her party bosses tell her to vote for."

The two NAT candidates largely agreed on policy. They both hold similar positions and views. The race mainly came down to a generational gap, as younger voters favored Paulson and older voters backed Rudding.

There was also division in the party between the establishment and the grassroots.

Grassroots voters strongly turned out for Paulson, while the establishment and party leaders backed Rudding.

Still, although she enjoyed the grassroots support at the local level, Paulson says she would be a "moderate voice of reason" if elected to the Senate.

"I think we need senators who listen to everyone, who listen to every side of the issue, and who then vote according to what's right for their state," said Paulson. "I plan to be an independent-minded senator, if elected."

The Bronure campaign congratulated Paulson on her win, posting a congratulatory note on Bronure's social media channels.

But the campaign quickly shifted to attacking Paulson for her "radical NAT values."

"Jane Paulson is a nice person, she's attractive and well-educated. But she's really a female version of Nadan Saralo," said Bronure campaign Deputy Director Derek Todd.

"Jane Paulson is a hard-left liberal. She will vote in step with Nadan Saralo, with Debbie Madronas, Grace Kemp, Paul LeBouse, Deborah Kay, all those hard-left senators. She will be Wellington's version of Deborah Kay," said Todd, referring to the controversial left-wing senator from Damoign.

While the campaigns' rhetoric flies, the truth is the race against Bronure will be an uphill climb for Paulson.

Bronure is also young and attractive, and her conservative voting record is more in-step with the conservative tilt of the Prairie State.

Additionally, this year's election looks to strongly favor the CNS, as Nationalists are defending more seats and the national mood is in Conservatives' favor.

Bronure has also avoided any major scandals or gaffes, and unlike Paulson, Bronure has never lost an election before.

"Jane Paulson is a loser. Literally a loser. I don't mean that in a rude way, I'm just saying, she literally lost in 2020 to Claire Renatti. She's a has-been. She's trying again this time, but she will lose again," said conservative radio host Mark Bruce, who hosts a daily program in Starksmin.

In 2020, Paulson lost to Conservative Sen. Claire Renatti in a close race by a 47.9% - 49.7% margin, respectively.

Baskingwood campaign projects calm as allies panic at disappointing polling

RAWLINGSWORTH, Asl. -- The calm governor of Ansleigha is holding steady, despite disappointing poll numbers that were released this week.

Gov. Sam Baskingwood (C) is running behind in his attempt at reelection. The latest poll numbers came out Thursday, released by the University of Ansleigha (UA) and the Association of Ansleigha Newspapers (AAN), and they weren't in Baskingwood's favor.

The governor trails Nationalist opponent Agatha Houndsler 34%-37%, while Independent candidate Rosamond Burkes receives 27%, respectively.

The Baskingwood campaign was hoping the governor would be leading in the new poll, as Burkes had taken time off the campaign trail in recent weeks and cut back on advertising, and first-time candidate Houndsler became better known to voters. 

But instead, the independent firebrand Burkes has surged to her best polling result yet, still far from leading, but the best showing she's had all year in the polls.

And support for Houndsler has dropped somewhat, but the self-described "hippie college professor" from Danaecke is still leading the three-way race.

Baskingwood was asked Friday about the latest poll results.

"Your campaign predicted you'd be leading in the polls this week. There have been a lot of folks suggesting you might slip into first place at this point. How does it feel to still be behind in the race, and why do you think you're still trailing Agatha Houndsler?" asked reporter Karen Handley from Ansleigha Public Radio.

"Well first of all, I've never thought I was leading this race. I am running like I am the underdog, like I am way behind. I am campaigning literally every day, in all 40 counties of the state, in every town and neighborhood and village. I am not taking this race for granted," said Baskingwood.

"Secondly, this is one poll. And the polls are notoriously not accurate. So I don't put much stock in them. The only poll that really matters is what the voters decide on election day," said Baskingwood. "So I am tuning out the polling, I'm tuning out what the media is predicting or saying, because ultimately it's the voters of Ansleigha who will decide who their next governor is. I hope it's me, but if it's not me, I respect their decision and I will make the transition with grace."

Richard Davry, a close advisor to Baskingwood and the governor's communications director, told the National Press Federation (NPF) that the governor remains unperturbed by poor polling.

"Anyone who knows Governor Baskingwood knows that he is a very calm, level-headed guy. He doesn't get rattled easily. He doesn't freak out. He doesn't panic. He's a strong leader. He's stable, he's solid, he's steady-handed when the waves get big and the boat rocks. He is not panicked by these poll numbers, and our campaign isn't either. We are so focused on visiting every part of Ansleigha and reminding voters of Governor Baskingwood's promises and policies, and how they've helped Ansleighans," said Davry.

"We're also focused on reminding voters who Agatha Houndsler is, and how her radical, left-wing, extreme agenda will damage Ansleigha irrevocably," said Davry.

When asked what the campaign thought of Rosamond Burkes' strong poll numbers, Davry dismissed the question.

"First of all, these are 'strong poll numbers,' like you suggest. She's only getting 27 percent of the vote. That's not a winnable amount. That's very much a minority. She has no path to victory. Poll after poll shows that, and the last election proved that," said Davry. "At the same time, while 27 percent isn't enough to win, it is enough to alter the race and to tip the scales in favor of Agatha Houndsler. We are aware of that. And we are aware that many voters appreciate and like Rosamond Burkes and her policies. Unlike Agatha Houndsler, we don't denigrate Rosamond's voters. We welcome them into our tent. We need all Conservatives on board to beat Agatha Houndsler, and I think at the end of the day, a lot of voters who are maybe leaning toward or consider Rosamond Burkes, they will realize that she just doesn't have a shot at winning. She doesn't have a chance. But Sam Baskingwood does. He's the only thing standing between normal, common-sense, conservative leadership, and Agatha Houndsler's radical, hardcore liberal, lunatic policies."

While the Baskingwood campaign might be projecting calm, allies of the governor, behind the scenes, are quietly panicking.

One source whom GNN spoke with, who asked for anonymity so they could speak freely, said the campaign believed Baskingwood would be in first place by now.

"There was this idea among the campaign's leadership, and top Conservatives, that after the public got introduced to Agatha Houndsler, and after she and Rosamond Burkes said more crazy things and adopted more crazy policies publicly, the voters would be turned off by the radicalness of both of them and turn to the 'adult in the room,' so to speak, Sam Baskingwood. But the polling shows that hasn't happened yet, and now people are freaking out," said the source.

"It could still happen. People could still shift to Sam, and some probably will. But it's not going the way we thought it would, it's not looking as hopeful as people expected or wanted, and that's disappointing," said the source.

Another source confirmed that Baskingwood was "surprised and a little deflated" by the poor polling numbers.

"He was hoping to be in the lead this time, to turn the narrative of the race in his favor, and to put Rosamond Burkes to rest once and for all, make her irrelevant, etc. But that's not what the poll numbers are showing," said the source.

The Burkes campaign, understandably, was elated about the polling numbers.

"This poll shows that Ansleighans are on the same page as Rosamond. They want lower crime, less red tape, they want politicians who actually do what they'll say instead of just giving empty promises," said Sarah Jenning, a deputy campaign manger for Burkes. "Ansleighans want a strong leader, and they're seeing that in Rosamond Burkes."

The Burkes campaign capitalized on the poll, sending out emails and text messages asking for donations. The campaign says it raised "well into the triple digits" after the poll came out, though the campaign declined to release a specific amount.

Conservative allies of Baskingwood have largely dismissed Burkes as unable to win, though not a non-factor.

"She is a factor, but she's not a contender," said Bill Richards, a Conservative businessman and fundraiser who has close ties to Baskingwood. "She can't be ignored completely, but we can put her over here on the side of the page, because really, she has no hope of winning this race."

The Houndsler campaign similarly dismissed Burkes as a contender, but also acknowledges Burkes' level of support is significant.

"Do I think Rosamond Burkes will win? Absolutely not. I hope not. And I really don't see that happening," says Susan Shannen, a close friend and advisor to Houndsler. "But, at the same time, hundreds of thousands of voters are supporting her [Burkes]. So you have to acknowledge that and recognize that, even though she probably won't win, she is definitely getting a significant chunk of the votes."

Shannen said the polling released this week is "confirmation that Agatha Houndsler is firmly in the lead."

"There's one common denominator among all the polls that have been conducted in this race, and that is that Agatha Houndsler has led all three-way polls. Every single one. She has always maintained the lead, and she continues to do so because Ansleighans are hungry for change," said Shannen.

Indeed, Houndsler has led all polls that have included herself, Baskingwood and Burkes.

But, Houndsler's support has dropped by two percent overall in the polling averages. And in two-way polling, in which pollsters only ask voters to choose between Baskingwood and Houndsler, Baskingwood significantly leads Houndsler 57%-38%, respectively.

There's been mixed polling on the race because Burkes has implied that she may drop out of the race and throw her support to Baskingwood.

Rumors were circling all over Ansleigha last week the wealthy heiress would possibly drop her bid for governor. But after the positive poll numbers buoyed her campaign, Burkes made clear she is in the race to win.

"We can win this race. And I love when the media says we can't. Or the Nationalists and Conservatives say we can't. Because that just fuels my supporters even more. And then the money pours in, the attention pours in, and people get fired up," said Burkes at a campaign stop in Chadwick County, Saturday.

"We are fired up, and we are going to fight to win this thing," said Burkes. "All we need is 33, 34 percent to win. And we can get there," she added.

As she hopped into a waiting town car, she looked at the cameras and the gaggle of reporters and said "we're climbing the ladder, baby," as she flashed two thumbs up.

Conservatives may be disheartened, but they are still raising money. Baskingwood privately called North Ceona Gov. Ty Jaimeson, the head of the Conservative Governors' Association (CGA), and asked for additional funds.

Jaimeson agreed to dispatch more funds to Baskingwood, but neither men nor their spokespeople would disclose the exact amount.

Advisors to Baskingwood still maintain that voters will come around to their side on election day.

"I really think voters will look at the three choices, and they'll see that there's really only one reasonable choice, and that's Sam Baskingwood. You can either vote for a stable, common-sense, conservative leader, which is Sam. Or you can vote for a radical left-wing lunatic, Agatha Houndsler, who will release convicted felons from prison early and teach radical transgender ideology to our kids in public schools. Or you can vote for a kooky old lady who is all over the place with her positions and policies, and who frankly, is probably not firing on all cylinders," said Davry, referring to Rosamond Burkes.

"At the end of the day, I think voters will make the right choice. They want someone normal and calm and level-headed at the wheel. They don't want a reactionary person like Rosamond Burkes driving the train. Or a liberal activist like Agatha Houndsler," added Davry.

Most political pundits are now rating the Ansleigha governor's race as either a "Toss Up" or "Leans NAT."

Stryde holds huge lead in Kensington governor's race

KENDALL, Kens. -- Nationalist Gov. Karen Downs is facing increasingly strong headwinds in her race for reelection, a new poll shows.

The poll, conducted by The Necadia Daily newspaper, shows Downs down by 10 points against her Conservative opponent, state Attorney General Chris Stryde.

Stryde has led in the polls for months, but only by smaller margins. Nationalists were hopeful that raising abortion as an issue would cultivate more support for Downs, as she seeks her second full term as governor.

But the poll shows the abortion issue has done little to move the race in Downs' favor.

If the election were held today, 54% of voters would choose Stryde, according to the poll. Only 44% would vote to reelect Downs, while the other two percent would vote for minor party candidates.

Voters appear receptive to Stryde's moderate conservative agenda. The attorney general has hit on tried-and-true Conservative causes: the state's large homeless population, high cost of living, inflation, and crime, although Kensington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country.

Still, despite the low level overall statewide, there are pockets of the state that suffer from high amounts of property crime. Places like Robertsville, in the north-central part of the state, and Jeunas County, just south of Robertsville, have had large increases in crime in the last year.

Downs is hoping that Kensington's liberal tilt will work in her favor. But while Nationalists normally dominate elections in the state, moderate Conservatives, such as Stryde and federal Sen. Barnard "Barn" Scott, have had electoral success.

The poll, released today, also shows male voters are more motivated than female voters, which is unusual. In order to win, Downs will need to tap into female voters, a constituency from which she has found strong support in the past.

While Stryde leads strongly among male voters (64%-36%), he leads with women by a much smaller margin (52%-48%).

Downs has struggled to quell voter angst over crime and the economy. In a debate last week, Stryde called her "a do-nothing governor," and suggested she had only won the governorship because Kensington is a liberal state and Downs had never faced any top-notch Conservative opponents.

Downs hit back, accusing Stryde of "mansplaining" and mistreating women, "particularly women who are professionals, educated, and who are in positions of similar authority to him," she told moderators during the debate.

"If I'm anti-woman, then why am I leading in the polls with women voters?" Stryde asked. Downs dodged the question, saying "the polls are not exact" and that "women will come home to the right candidate on election day," suggesting most women voters will support her.

"It's that kind of arrogance that voters are sick of," said Stryde. "The idea that just because you're a woman, or a minority, or LGBTQ, you have to vote for Nationalists. You must support the NAT candidate. That's what she assumes, that's what their party and the media assume. They think people owe them their vote somehow. Conservatives believe we have to earn every vote, and that's what I intend to do."

While Stryde is favored heading into the last stretch of the election, Nationalists are likely to hold on to other statewide positions.

Federal Sen. Chris Blair is expected to be reelected, and Nationalist Debbie Kirkendahl is favored to win the attorney generalship.

Lt. Gov. Phil Pratt (N), however, is facing a strong challenge from state Sen. Bill Langessy (C). And Secretary of State Mark Wood is in a similarly close race with Conservative Reed Chansky.

Conservatives have pointed to the high cost of living in Kensington, as well as high taxes and high crime in some areas, as reasons the state actually lost people in the annual population census count.

"There's a reason people are fleeing this state, and it's because of mindless NAT leadership. Nationalist leaders who don't actually get anything meaningful done. They just hold an office and a title. But they haven't fought for the middle class, they haven't fought for average Kensingtonians. That's why people are leaving, and we're going to stop the hemorrhaging when I'm elected," said Stryde in a recent TV interview.

If elected, Stryde will become the state's second governor, and the first male governor and first Conservative governor.

Coriano trails badly in Carova Senate race

VALLINGBURG, Car. -- Outspoken NAT Sen. Karen Coriano has a tough race on her hands in Carova.

As the unabashedly liberal senator fights for reelection, a new poll released by The Carova Statesman newspaper shows Coriano far behind her Conservative challenger, former Lt. Gov. Aaron Hallings.

Hallings entered the race late in the year, but he has wide name recognition. He's a mainstream Conservative, but the poll finds he receives strong support from the far right wing of the party as well.

Coriano was first elected in 2008, defeating Conservative Robert Myer in a close race. Then, in 2014, she narrowly lost to Conservative Assemblyman Sawyer Upton. 

In 2018, Coriano launched a successful comeback, beating then-Lt. Gov. Dave Emser (C) by three percentage points.

This time around, as Conservatives have rallied nationally to take back the majority in the Senate, Conservatives were able to recruit Hallings, who is young (46) and media savvy.

Hailing from Port Bay, Hallings has largely avoided controversial social issues, though Coriano, who is passionate about abortion rights, has sought to make abortion a top campaign issue.

"Aaron Hallings doesn't care about women," says a pro-Coriano TV commercial, airing statewide. "Aaron will let his old, white, rich men colleagues in the Senate tell him how to vote. He'll cave to religious extremists to take away a woman's basic right to control her own body. And he won't stand up for working mothers."

Hallings and his Conservative allies have sought to portray Coriano as too extreme for Carova.

It was an effective strategy back in 2014 for Sawyer Upton, a more moderate candidate who frequently pointed to Coriano's left-wing voter record as out of step with Carova's more conservative bent.

"Karen Coriano is by far the most liberal senator that Carova has ever had," said Conservative state party chairman Ken Edelman. "She is hardcore left wing on abortion, hardcore left wing on climate change, hardcore left wing on socialism and the economy, and she votes whatever way Debbie Madronas and Jim McCaren tell her to vote."

Coriano has, indeed, voted largely in step with the Nationalist party. She has only occasionally voted against her party, usually on issues that are of unique importance to Carova, such as oil drilling and timber.

By and large, though, the NAT incumbent has usually sided with her NAT colleagues. And even though Carova is a more conservative-leaning state, Coriano has refused to moderate her position on women's reproductive rights.

"I will never back down or stand down from fighting for a woman's basic right to own her own body and make her own decisions that pertain to her body," she told the NPF in a recent phone interview. "People may not like that, but I believe in every fiber of my being that a woman should be able to choose what to do with her own body, and when to have a child, and when it's not a good time or when she's not able to have a child."

In the final stretches of the campaign, Coriano is calling in big NAT star power.

She has multiple campaign rallies scheduled around the state with Carova's other liberal darling, Sen. Anna Maas.

And Gov. Dan Sallovich is slated to hit the campaign trail with Coriano too.

"We absolutely need Karen Coriano in the Senate," said Sallovich Thursday afternoon, as a he boarded a plane for Mavocke, where he had meetings with the McCaren administration.

"Karen is the hardest-working, the most passionate defender of Carovans in Mavocke today. She is truly one of the last people standing between radical, anti-working family Conservatives and the social safety nets that we have long enjoyed in this country."

Nationalists have been quick to paint Hallings as a rich, out-of-touch-with-the-working-class Conservative "good old boy," even though he's only 46 years old.

"Aaron Hallings only cares about Ivy Leaguers and wealthy businessmen. That's all he cares about," said Coriano in a recent campaign appearance in her hometown of Vallingburg. "You don't see Aaron Hallings going into inner-city Carlingford. You don't see him working at the soup kitchens in our cities. You don't see him driving out to rural eastern Carova, where Indigenous People are struggling to pay for food, water and basic necessities. You only see Aaron Hallings at country clubs and yacht clubs. And that's the difference between us."

The Hallings campaign responded, saying Coriano's voting record in the Senate is more in line with a liberal state like Damoign or Lial.

"Karen Coriano is representing the wrong state in the Senate," said Herm Wallinger, deputy campaign manager for Hallings. "She should be representing Lial or Veroche or Trinton or some other left-wing state. Her voting record is strong on socialism and partisanship. Carovans want a strong conservative voice who will work with both parties, not a far-left radical who will only vote for lunatic left-wing policies."

The recent Carova Statesman poll found Hallings leading with 54.3% and Coriano with 44.8%, respectively.

The poll has a margin of plus-or-minus four points.

Welma Sidley dumps Richard Crux as running mate, picks Michael Barrett as replacement

DAYLE-LOCKE, NP -- Faced with the uncomfortable reality that both she and her running mate are too old, New Portsmouth's NAT candidate for governor, Welma Sidley, has chosen to drop her running mate Richard Crux, age 78, in favor of a younger running mate, 51-year-old former Lt. Gov. Michael Barrett.

Sidley made the stunning announcement Friday afternoon at a hastily-arranged press conference in Dayle-Locke.

She said she appreciates Richard Crux and considers him a close friend, but her campaign "needs a younger perspective," she told reporters.

She also added that she and Crux had "critical differences" on how to run the campaign.

Sources within the Sidley campaign confirm that Sidley, a former governor and attorney general, was not seeing eye-to-eye with Crux, a former secretary of state.

"I think they both wanted to run the campaign their own way, and they had some 'creative differences,' you could say," said the campaign source, who asked for anonymity, so as to speak freely without retribution.

Crux is reportedly somewhat bitter at the pair's divorce, but he believes it's for the best.

"I think he knows their candidacy would never have worked, so maybe it's for the best," said the campaign source.

Meanwhile, the Sidley campaign is attempting to quickly move on from the campaign shake-up. Barrett, a well-known former lieutenant governor, has been prominently featured on the campaign's social media channels in recent days, and has hit the campaign trail running.

Barrett served as Sidley's running mate and lieutenant back when she was briefly governor, from 2021-2023.

But he was passed over this year, as many within the Sidley campaign, including the former governor herself, felt the campaign needed a new face to refresh the ticket.

However, Crux is not exactly a new face. He previously served as secretary of state from 2009-2013, but he hasn't run for office since. And at age 78, many within the state's NAT circles complained he was too old to compete with the Conservative incumbents, Gov. Barry Newkirk and Lt. Gov. Jane Reems.

The campaign source, who spoke to the NPF, said Crux is potentially planning to run for governor in two years, in his own right.

New Portsmouth is the only state that elects governors every two years. All other 23 states elect their governors for four-year terms.

Conservative incumbent Gov. Barry Newkirk was considered vulnerable, since he won the governorship in a surprise upset back in 2022, just barely earning more votes than Sidley.

Many political analysts, including some from the Conservative party, expected Newkirk to be a "one-term wonder," as conservative pundit Sally Feldman called him previously.

But a new poll released last week shows Newkirk actually leading Sidley by almost two percent -- still within the poll's margin of error, but much better than analysts had predicted.

The poll's release has caused some Nationalists to panic. A few months ago, most NAT leaders and activists were confident Sidley could win back the governorship. But now, many are having doubts.

"There are many Nationalists, probably about half, I'd say, who think Welma Sidley is done. She's sunk. She can't recover from the bad poll numbers, she can't recover from the old age issue, and she can't recover from swapping running mates so close to the general election," said another NAT source, who also asked for anonymity, so they could speak freely without professional consequences.

Sidley, age 80, is much older than her Conservative opponent Newkirk, who is 56. Sidley was 78 when elected governor, the same age as former Gov. Dale Rochey (N) when he assumed the governorship.

Should Sidley pull off another upset win this year, she would become the oldest person to be elected governor of New Portsmouth.

She is, to date, the second woman governor of New Portsmouth, and the first NAT woman governor of the state.

She's also the only governor to have only served one term. All other governors were reelected at least one time, though Sidley could change that if she prevails this fall.

Mac Griffin's campaign works to combat public perception that he is old

RED LEAF, Ver. -- He got teased for it in his last race for governor, and it's becoming an even more urgent issue in this year's campaign.

Veroche Gov. Mac Griffin (C) is an elderly man. There's no denying it.

At age 72, he 20 years older than his NAT opponent, former Lt. Gov. Nic Marcellinos.

And Griffin's age is becoming an issue of contention on the campaign trail.

In his 2020 race for governor, then-Gov. Tom Harper (N) repeatedly tried to use Griffin's age against him. While Harper elicited some laughs and made jokes at Griffin's expense, it wasn't significant enough of an issue to derail Griffin's campaign.

But a new poll released last week by the University of Veroche found Griffin trailing Marcellinos 47.7% to 51.6%, respectively, in Griffin's bid for reelection.

One factor voters cited when asked by pollsters was Griffin's age. 

Many voters are looking for a younger governor.

So, to combat that problem, the Griffin campaign is working around the clock to change the narrative on Griffin's age.

His staff urged him to show the public he is still vigorous and lively.

His campaign manager urged the governor to attend a Lanakis Cavaliers football game, where he was photographed drinking beer and cheering until the game ended, just after 11:00 PM.

The governor specifically mentioned during a press conference -- at his advisors' insistence -- that he stays up late every Saturday night to play poker with a group of friends.

And the Griffin campaign recently released a TV ad showing him playing an X-box game with his grandsons and throwing a nerf football around with his granddaughter.

"I might be old on paper, but I am young at heart," says the smiling grandfather, in the TV ad.

"And he can keep up with the rest of us," says his teenage granddaughter Kaylee.

It's all part of the Griffin campaign's strategy to show the public that Griffin is not an old fogey, but a robust leader who still has the energy to lead the nation's fourth-most-populous state.

In a TV interview with a local Lanakis station on Thursday, Griffin told the reporter he plays golf weekly, "if I can," acknowledging that sometimes the demands of the governor's office prevent him from hitting the links. "Sometimes, it's a crazy day at work. Or we have a crisis or an emergency. If that's the case, then I am on the road to wherever I need to be. Or on the phone. Or meeting with people. And golf comes second to the people of Veroche," he said.

The Marcellinos campaign is still pushing the issue. 

A recent pro-Marcellinos TV ad that hit the airwaves this week shows the former lieutenant governor throwing a football around with his teenage son. It also shows the elder Marcellinos running a half-marathon and lifting weights.

"Nic Marcellinos is up to the job of governor. He's a father, a husband, and he'll be a governor Veroche can count on," says the narrator.

The Marcellinos campaign frequently makes jokes about Griffin's age, with a Marcellinos aide saying last week that Griffin "probably eats dinner at 4:00 in the afternoon."

Marcellinos himself has been reticent to use Griffin's age against him. The NAT nominee would much rather his surrogates and supporters attack Griffin's age instead of doing it himself.

But a Marcellinos campaign worker, who is privy to the campaign's strategies, confirmed to the GBC that the campaign has been instructed to compare and contrast Marcellinos' age and vigor with that of Griffin.

"It's definitely an issue with voters. They know it, we know it. So, we're going to use that issue to our advantage," said the campaign worker, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the campaign's inner-workings.

Griffin's team disputes the idea that his age is a liability.

"We know it's an issue, but the fact is Mac Griffin is very much alive and well. He is active. He plays pickleball, he plays softball, he hits the gym three times a week, he golfs regularly and swims. He's very active for his age. It's not like he's in a wheelchair drooling on himself. That's what they (the Marcellinos campaign) would have the public believe. But the voters know the truth and they can see right through this," said Bruce Danforth, a Griffin campaign spokesman.

In fact, the Griffin campaign actually sees the governor's age as an asset.

"Nic Marcellinos is young. He's handsome. He's photogenic. But he doesn't have the experience to be governor," Don Bartolo, a close advisor to Griffin, told the National Press Federation (NPF).

"Nic was lieutenant governor under a disastrous NAT governor. But he had a minimal role in the governor's office during those years. He mostly was just for show. He had a title and an office, but he didn't get his hands dirty doing the work of state government. He has very little experience, his resume is extraordinarily thin. And I think the voters of Veroche want a leader who knows how to lead our state, how to direct our economy, how to rebuild our state after decades of disastrous, failed NAT leadership. They don't want just a pretty face who has a nice smile but no solutions," said Bartolo.

Polls show more Verocheans trust Griffin on the economy and law and order, while a majority of voters think Marcellinos would handle health care, education and climate change better.

Some Conservatives have been panicking after the recent poll numbers showed Griffin trailing Marcellinos. But other Conservatives are urging calm.

"It's one poll. One poll shows him a little behind. And we still have two months until election day. People need to stop freaking out and panicking and put on your big boy boots and pants and get to work to re-elect Mac Griffin," said right-wing activist Katie Yung, on X, formerly Twitter.

On Friday, Marcellinos, at a campaign stop at a bookstore south of Lanakis, told reporters that age is not a main factor in most peoples' minds as they decide who to vote for.

"It's a factor, but I don't think it's a major factor. I think people care more about which candidate is going to make our society more equal, which candidate is going to give us an equal economy where everyone has a chance to succeed, which candidate is going to stop climate change, things like that," said Marcellinos.

Conservatives jumped on his comments, particularly about an "equal economy."

"Nic Marcellinos is openly advocating and calling for socialism," said Veroche Conservative Party Chairman Vance Elder. "He literally said he wants an 'equal economy,' where everyone makes the same amount of money and owns the same amount of property. That's the NAT economy. A socialist economy where everyone is equal, where government regulates everything, and where no one is actually prosperous or financially secure."

"He also thinks he can stop climate change too," said Elder, in an interview with the STAR Network. "It's truly laughable. If Nic Marcellinos can stop climate change, then he can save the world. Good luck with that."