DeGant will face Kozzy in Wellington governor's race

OLAN SPRINGS, Well. -- A late surge by NAT realtor Diane Hansenhauer was not enough to propel the political newcomer to victory Saturday night in Wellington's NAT gubernatorial primary election.

Hansenhauer, of Longblade, fell short to Olan Springs Mayor Kevin DeGant.

DeGant had entered the race first. As he consolidated support from statewide and national leaders, other lesser-known candidates quietly exited the NAT race for governor, paving the way for the moderate mayor.

Hansenhauer ran to DeGant's left, focusing on Social Security and cost-of-living issues. 

DeGant centered his campaign around the economy, taxes, and fiscal restraint.

Billionaire tech CEO Andrew Gill was the only other serious candidate left in the race this summer when he dropped out of the race and declined to endorse either candidate.

Another tech CEO, Pakistani-Grassadellian Karin Sojar of Lunden Plains, remained in the race, and finished with just four percent.

Late Saturday night, Hansenhauer called DeGant to congratulate him on his win.

"I hope Kevin DeGant is successful as he takes on Bob Kozzy," Hansenhauer told reporters, referring to incumbent CNS Gov. Bob Kozzy, who is up for reelection.

At his campaign celebration in Olan Springs, DeGant thanked his supporters and pledged to "bring common sense" back to Starksmin.

"Bob Kozzy is erratic; he's extreme; he's not right for Wellington," DeGant said to cheers.

On his official "X" account (formerly Twitter), Kozzy spoke out Sunday morning, congratulating DeGant but then attacking his "failed policies."

"Congrats to Kevin DeGant on winning the NAT nomination. I look forward to a healthy and robust debate," said Kozzy.

He added, "I also look forward to sharing with Wellingtonians all the 'woke' failed policies DeGant has espoused an supported as Mayor of Olan Springs."

Kozzy didn't elaborate on which policies he was referring to, but it's likely he was referring to environmental ordinances DeGant championed in the tourist town of Olan Springs.

While he is known in the Olan Springs area, DeGant is not well known throughout the rest of the state. The 49-year-old has never ran for statewide office before, and is far behind Kozzy in money.

Still, the young DeGant is hoping to capitalize on his campaign for a lower cost-of-living, and the mayor is hoping Kozzy's frequent outbursts at journalists and political opponents works to his favor.

The governor is well known for his frequent arguments with journalists and NAT politicians. DeGant says he'll be "a normal governor" who won't explode on journalists and political rivals.

"I just think that kind of behavior is unbecoming of a governor. That's how Donald Trump acts, and Wellingtonians want someone who will represent them well and make them proud," said DeGant.

It's unknown yet who DeGant will choose as his running mate. Sources close to the nominee believe he will pick another moderate, centrist candidate to join his ticket.

Kozzy is seeking his second term, running alongside his longtime ally Lt. Gov. Liz McKinn.

Most political prognosticators rate the Wellington race as favoring Kozzy, however, voter turnout, cost-of-living, and the national mood could affect the election results.

"It's way too early to be forecasting how this race is going to go," said Wellington University Political Science Professor Jesse Garrett.

On Sunday, Hansenhauer and Sonar both endorsed DeGant on their social media pages, unifying the state's NAT party.

***Unofficial Election Results -- Wellington NAT Primary -- Governor***

1,323,824	Total Votes										674,070	57,319	592,435
15%	Turnout	DeGant	Sojar	Hansenhauer							DeGant	Sojar	Hansenhauer
		50.92%	4.33%	44.75%

Senator Ramsey says Trump has 'lost the trust of the American people'

ELMHURST, Asl. -- Though she's never met Donald Trump, Ansleigha Sen. Pat Ramsey (C) was asked at a town hall meeting this weekend what her thoughts were on the US president, whose approval ratings have taken a nosedive in recent weeks.

"I'm not sure if I'm the person to ask about Donald Trump, that's really an issue for the American people to deal with," said Ramsey. "But I would say, from what I've seen, with the US economy struggling, with the war in Iran, with Greenland and Canada and all his comments on those things, I think Trump has lost the trust of the American people. And really the entire world."

"It's unfortunate, because I think when he was reelected back in 2024, the American people had a lot of faith in him to turn the economy around, to avoid wars, and to maybe be a statesman in his second term, however rough-around-the-edges he may be," said Ramsey. "But I think we've seen that's not what's happened. He hasn't softened in his second term, he's really become more intransigent and dug in his heels."

Ramsey was then asked by the moderator if she thought Grassadellia should "seek distance" from the United States during Trump's current tenure.

"I don't think we need distance. We need to work together to prevent terrorism and to prevent tyranny and to support free trade and commerce between our countries. So I don't think seeking distance is the answer," she said. "But when the Americans are on the wrong side of the issue, when they see things differently than us, when they push through a policy that is harmful to Grassadellia or is concerning to us, I think we need to speak up loudly. Not rudely, but loudly. And we need to say, 'Hold up, hold on, we have an issue here that needs to be addressed before we move forward.'"

Ramsey described Trump's plan to take Greenland away from Denmark as "not entirely absurd."

"I can see the value that Greenland has militarily and for national security, so I can see why he would want it or want to have some presence there," said Ramsey. "I think the way he went about it was, as is usual with Donald Trump, clumsy and not very well thought through."

In response to the Conservative senator's comments, the White House called Ramsey "a third-rate senator" and "a dusty relic of the Nixon years." 

Ramsey first got her start in government and international affairs during the 1970s, although she wasn't elected to public office until six years ago.

The Conservative senator, who is among the most hawkish and outspoken on foreign affairs in the Senate, did not respond to the White House's insults.

Ramsey is up for reelection this year. She is facing former NAT Sen. Carol DelLorean.

Conservatives shovel money into N.C. Senate race

PARKINS, N.C. -- One of North Ceona's senators is facing a fight for her political life.

Wendy MacDonald is the unlucky recipient of millions of dollars of negative ad spending by her Conservative opponent Tom Cozier and his allies.

Cozier, a former governor, has sought a Senate seat twice before, losing in close races both times.

This time around, he's running against MacDonald, a former community organizer and liberal activist from urban Parkins.

Cozier considered running against Sen. Anthony Campanelli (N), who is also up for reelection. However, the former CNS governor decided MacDonald was more vulnerable.

Now, Cozier and his allies are raising record funds to defeat MacDonald.

Cozier himself has raised only about $2.29 million, not an impressive sum. But dark money groups associated with him, and political action committees (PACs), have raised $6.29 million.

That money far exceeds the $4.01 million MacDonald has raised.

Aides to Cozier and within the Conservative Senate Campaign Committee (CSCC) say MacDonald is vulnerable.

"Anthony Campanelli is fairly popular statewide with a lot of voters. Wendy MacDonald is popular with liberal white women. And that's about it," Roger Everson, a conservative operative who has worked closely with CNS candidates in North Ceona in the past, told GNN.

MacDonald is a first-term senator seeking reelection for the first time. In 2020, she narrowly beat CNS incumbent Ken Estall. Conservatives believe she is beatable this election.

Cozier, a somewhat popular former governor, was considered a shoo-in when he first ran for the Senate back in 2020. He lost that race to Campanelli.

In 2022, Cozier tried again, this time losing to Sen. Elizabeth Graham (N).

Now, the former governor says this will be his last race if he loses.

"If I don't win this one, then I'm done. I'm out of the game, at least in terms of elected office," Cozier told reporters last week at a campaign stop in south Parkins.

Friends of MacDonald say the first-term senator is not as visible as other senators, but she is often behind the scenes working to make deals with her Conservative colleagues and to whip her NAT colleagues into voting for the party's agenda.

"Wendy MacDonald has delivered for North Ceona, specifically for working North Ceona families, for seniors, for minorities and low-income North Ceonans, and for women," said fellow NAT senator David Acade (Veroche).

Elizabeth Graham described MacDonald as, "for lack of a better term, the Senate's workhorse."

"She isn't in the spotlight very much. She doesn't go on all the cable news programs and give press conferences. But Wendy MacDonald gets things done. She is the sole reason that many important pieces of legislation have passed, including maternity leave, breast feeding, and expanding access to food banks," said Graham.

The question now is whether North Ceona's voters will choose to hang on to MacDonald, who flies under the radar, or whether they will pick a twice-unsuccessful Senate nominee from the Conservative side.

The two candidates are scheduled to debate in east Parkins on Monday, October 5, and again in Cape Goodwin, North Gallaghan, and Berwick later this month.