Wolmach considering gubernatorial run after stinging senate loss certified

SNOWDEN, March. -- After her legal disputes challenging the results of her 2024 senate re-election bid ended this week, outgoing federal Sen. Heidi Wolmach (N) is now reportedly turning her eyes to the 2026 governor's race, sources close to the senator told the GBC.

The sources, who did not want to be named because they were not permitted to speak to the media, said Wolmach is considering running for governor next year in what her close supporters have said would be "a political comeback" potentially.

Wolmach has not confirmed the rumors, but she hasn't denied them either. Multiple sources spoke with the GBC and all told the same story.

Conservative Gov. Mike Shannon is up for re-election next year in Marchenay, which is a perennial battleground state.

Shannon, an Evangelical Christian, enjoys strong support in the Conservative Party, but Nationalists are deeply opposed to his policies.

If Wolmach decides to challenge Shannon, it will be a difficult task.

She'd first have to make it through the NAT's primary election process.

Lt. Gov. Kevin Levenetti has already been quietly planning a run for governor. Levenetti has already secured support from many local and state NAT leaders and elected officials, and while he has not officially announced a campaign for governor, he has been a prolific fundraiser in the past.

He was widely seen as the favored candidate, with no viable challengers.

If Wolmach runs, she would be a formidable opponent, but she'd start far behind Levenetti, both with money and with building political support for her bid.

Earlier this week, state NAT activist and party elder Tom Hartwell also announced his candidacy for governor.

Hartwell almost won the NAT's nomination back in 2018, narrowly losing to then-Attorney General Dan Rattner, who went on to win the governorship.

Hartwell is more left-wing than Levenetti, and the is considerably older (73) than the current front-runner (Levenetti is 46). The differences between the two men are policy-related as much as generationally.

Another potential NAT candidate who could enter the fray is Mavocke businessman Tom Fortney. He, too, ran for governor back in 2018, finishing in third place behind Rattner and Hartwell.

Fortney is a wealthy tech CEO who has a vast personal fortune. He could self-fund a serious campaign if he wanted to. He has not expressed any interest in running for governor again, however.

Wolmach has been supportive of Levenetti in the past, calling him a friend. She has also campaigned for him and helped him raise money in past races.

But friends close to Wolmach say her stinging loss to Conservative Assemblywoman Marsha Dawes in the 2024 senate election has left Wolmach upset and eager to jump back into the political fight.

"She is not one to just sit by idly. She is a fighter. And if she thinks she can fight Conservatives best by running for governor, I think she'll do that. Or maybe she'll run for the Senate again in. I'm not sure. But I fully expect her to run again," said one source, again speaking anonymously.

Wolmach has refused to concede to Dawes, although she acknowledged her campaign had no legal options.

Dawes was crowned the winner after three recounts, taking just over 50% to Wolmach's almost 49 percent, respectively.

With each recount, Dawes gained ground over Wolmach.

Wolmach said she would end her legal challenges to the election, but she declined to concede to Dawes or to congratulate her.

"I refuse to acknowledge an election-counting process that I believe is corrupt and inaccurate," she said immediately following the Marchenay State Supreme Court's decision to reject her appeal.

Dawes declared victory and said it was time to move on.

"The first count found me to be the winner. And the next three recounts found the same thing. This election is settled. The people of Marchenay have spoken. It's time to move on and get to work governing our nation," said Dawes on Friday.

With Dawes' win certified, Conservatives officially now hold 50 seats to Nationalists' 45. One Democratic-Reformist, New Portsmouth Sen. Ayden Benning, caucuses with the NAT, putting the divide in power at 50-46.

It's a slim majority, but a huge turn-around from before last year's elections, when Conservatives held just 42 seats to the NAT's 54.

Ansleigha Sen. Jon Ralston has taken the title of Senate Majority Leader, while Damoign Nationalist Debbie Madronas was challenged for her party's leadership but ultimately prevailed. She will stay on as the Minority Leader.

********************

Election Results -- Official -- Marchenay Federal Senate

Marsha Dawes (CNS)	50.13%	4,451,945
Heidi Wolmach* (NAT)	48.95%	4,346,953
Other	0.92%	82,014

*=incumbent

Madronas survives leadership challenge

MAVOCKE -- After months of debate and introspection, Nationalist senators have voted to retain their leader, Damoign Sen. Debbie Madronas.

Three of Madronas' colleagues put their names forward to challenge her for the party's top position. Madronas has led the Senate NAT since 2017.

Many NAT members were unhappy with the drubbing the party took in the 2024 elections, and senators from across the political spectrum felt it was time for new leadership after Conservatives retook control of the senate.

But after the fourth round of voting, Madronas prevailed, winning the votes of 28 senators compared to 18 votes for her closest opponent, North Ceona's Anthony Campanelli.

Marcheny Sen. Heidi Wolmach, whose senate re-election race is still being recounted, did not participate in the party voting process, although she voiced her vociferous support for Madronas on social media and in TV interviews.

Onakiah Sen. Jon Yannes, who has led the NAT's fundraising efforts in recent years, was the first candidate to be eliminated in the first round. He was followed by South Ceona's pro-labor Mick O'Toole.

Yannes and O'Toole spoke to their fellow senators before the anonymous voting began. Yannes pointed to his fundraising credentials and his refusal to negotiate with Conservatives as a winning formula. 

O'Toole, who is outspoken about his pro-labor policies, pledged to return to a more old-school style, saying he would negotiate with Conservatives while also pushing a pro-worker agenda.

Campanelli said yesterday in a TV interview that it was time for the party to have a newer, younger leader. 

"We just lost seven seats and the Conservatives retook the chamber. We can't keep doing what we're doing. The Grassadellian people have spoken, and they spoke loudly and clearly. They are not happy with our party. It's time for our party to chart a new path forward and pick a new leader. It's time for a fresh start," he told the GBC.

Madronas acknowledged the party took a hit in the last elections, and said she would stand down if her fellow NAT senators voted her out. But she said only she can go toe-to-toe with Conservative Senate Majority Leader Jon Ralston.

"Did we have a difficult election? Yes, we did. And we lost some great senators from our side, which is deeply disappointing. But we can't stop the fight. And the voters did not reject the Nationalist Party, they voted their pocketbook. The economy was struggling, Conservatives had the momentum, and people went along with that. I disagree with the notion that the voters rejected the Nationalist Party and all our policies," said Madronas at a press conference in Mavocke on Thursday.

In the end, the loyalty that Madronas has built over the last eight years helped her overcome concerns about the party's post-election image.

"Debbie Madronas is a fearless, strong, bold leader. She has served the people of Damoign and the people of this country well. She has a passion for government and social welfare, and she is the strong leader we need to push back against a radical Conservative agenda," said Wolmach, one of Madronas' most ardent supporters.

At his own press conference, Ralston both criticized and praised Madronas.

Voters swung against the NAT in favor of Conservatives because Madronas "failed to deliver" on promises she made when she was majority leader.

"The Nationalists promised to pass climate change legislation, they never did. They promised healthcare reform, they never passed it. They promised a labor bill, they never got around to it. The voters were tired of empty promises. The voters realized the Conservative Party has an agenda and will pursue that agenda, while the NAT is just about opposing the other side," said Ralston. "Grassadellians want their government to get things done, and we will get things done."

Despite their "severe" political differences, Ralston complimented Madronas and said he anticipates a collegial relationship with his counterpart.

"We've worked together for several years now. Debbie and I disagree on just about every single issue. And we have some serious disagreements. And she irks me often, and I irk her often. So there is a level of discord between us, but I also know she's a strong legislator and she leads her team well. That's why she won re-election as the NAT leader. Her party views her as a leader and she commands the ship. So, while I may disagree with her strongly, I do respect her position and her authority in her own party. She commands strong party loyalty and that's because she runs her internal operations pretty well."

After the vote, Madronas said she was "honored and humbled" to be re-elected NAT leader by her colleagues.

"I understand that we had a tough election last time around, and I know things need to change. We've had discussions about that among the NAT caucus, and I have listened. We will be changing some things. We will evolve and better ourselves and be responsive to the Grassadellian people. We are a party that is on the move, and even though we are now in the minority, we are not a weak party, we are a strong party. And I am happy to stand strongly and firmly against what I consider to be a harmful Conservative agenda."