Pete Deetch looking at comeback in North Ceona after racist, sexist comments

PARKINS, N. Ceona -- Recent polling shows former Senator and Parkins Mayor Pete Deetch (C) has stagnant popularity in his home state.

Deetch lost re-election to the Federal Senate in 2018, losing to Nationalist political novice Alexis Stotter by a 47%-50% margin.

However, the Conservative firebrand is rumored to be considering a political comeback, either by running for governor in 2020, or by challenging fellow Senators Anthony Campanelli (N) or Ken Estall, who are up for re-election.

It will be a tall order for the 79-year-old Deetch, who was widely condemned after he was recorded making racist and sexist comments to fellow senators and staff members.

One audio recording caught Deetch speaking about a fellow senator's chief of staff, whose name he couldn't remember.

"Oh what's her name? You know the gal I'm talking about. That brown girl with the African hair," Deetch said to one of his colleagues, during a discussion in the Deetch's office.

Deetch was referring to Adani Krishna, who is the chief of staff for Senator Tim Blakewell (N-Trinton).

Krishna has Indian heritage, not African.

And in another incident, Deetch reportedly complained to fellow Senator Allison Sweeten, a Nationalist from East Deschire, that "you god-damn women can't make up your mind," referring to Sweeten and the other female NAT senators, who were undecided on supporting one of Deetch's bills.

In yet another incident, Deetch went on a car ride to the other side of Mavocke with Senator Luke Gymbal (C-Ansleigha). The two senators and one of Gymbal's staff members stopped at a 7-11. Deetch was heard making derogatory comments about the owners of the convenience store.

"Oh they're all (7-11 stores) owned by god-damned Indians and Pakistanis these days, that's not how it used to be when I was a kid," Deetch said.

A Senate ethics investigation found Deetch in violation of Senate decorum, and ruled his behavior was "reprehensible, ignorant and unbecoming of a senator." He was not formally censured, though, or penalized.

Senate Minority Leader Jon Ralston (C-Ans.) said Deetch's "heart-felt apology" was punishment enough.

"Pete said some bad things. We confronted him about it. We told him it's not acceptable from any member of our caucus, he apologized to us, he apologized to those involved, and he promised it wouldn't happen again. The issue is closed as far as I'm concerned," Ralston said, when asked by reporters what internal party consequences Deetch faced.

Senators from both parties condemned Deetch's comments at the time. Debbie Madronas (N-DMG), the top Nationalist in the Senate, said they were "disgusting and embarrassing for the Senate."

Fellow North Ceona Senator Anthony Campanelli (N) said Deetch's words "are despicable, ignorant and elitist," while Elizabeth Graham, also a Nationalist from North Ceona, said she was "deeply disappointed" in Deetch's behavior.

Ken Estall, a fellow Conservative from North Ceona, said Deetch's words "reflect very poorly on North Ceona, and are in stark contrast to the values of acceptance, diversity and tolerance that North Ceonans champion."

But defenders of Deetch, including Nationalist Senator Vic Chambers (S. Ceona), who at 73, is closer in age to Deetch than many of the Senate's younger members, pointed out that Deetch apologized personally to those he insulted.

"I'm not saying what he said was okay, but he met privately with Adani Krishna and apologized. He met with our lady colleagues here in the Senate and apologized to them. And he even drove back to that 7-11 and apologized in person, in public, right in the middle of the store in front of customers and employees, and he apologized to the owners and the employees he offended," said Chambers.

"I think he made a clear effort to make things right and to fix his behavior. People make mistakes, we all say stupid and ignorant things from time to time. Doesn't make it okay, but the important thing is to learn from your mistakes and most importantly to make it right, and Pete did that, so I think we need to give him some credit for that," said Chambers.

During the 2018 campaign, Alexis Stotter and the state's NAT Party hammered Deetch, calling him "xenophobic" and "an old-fashioned racist and misogynist."

"How embarrassing is it for our state, that the dean of our state's Senate delegation, the most prominent person representing our state, a man who is a grandfather and who has many beautiful women and little granddaughters in his family, and who has many colleagues who are wonderful people of color...how embarrassing is it that this is what people see on the news about our state. He's making North Ceona look like a backwards, racist garbage dump. Our state is not that. We are better than that. Pete Deetch should be better than that. We can do better, we must do better," said Stotter during a televised debate.

Deetch apologized to voters during the televised debate, and asked for forgiveness.

"You know, back in my day, people said a lot of things, they used a lot of terms and phrases that now we consider offensive. And they are offensive. I should never have said those things. I said some really stupid things. Sometimes I put my foot in my mouth. Sometimes I speak before I think. Sometimes I let old school thoughts and words come out of my mouth. And I'm very sorry about that. It's not okay. There's no excuse for what I did. It was wrong and I am very sorry to all the people I offended with my words. All I can do is ask for forgiveness and promise to do better, and I have done that many, many times, and I will continue to pledge to improve and be a better person," said Deetch.

His many apologies weren't enough to save him from electoral defeat in the 2018 elections.

But now, the veteran Conservative politician is hoping to make a comeback.

Sources close to Deetch say he has quietly been reaching out to high-ranking Conservatives in the state's CNS Party.

The sources, who asked to remain anonymous because they were not permitted to speak to the media, told GNN that Deetch would prefer to be back in the Senate.

"He loves it there. He loves debating, he loves fighting for North Ceona and opposing the national government. But he also loves the camaraderie and the bipartisan friendships that he made," said one source. "Pete is very conservative. But some of his best friends are Nationalists who are quite liberal. He is set in his ways, he is very opinionated. He'll never convert to the other side. But he has a good heart, despite his rough exterior. And I think people of both parties see that in Mavocke, and he's hoping the people of North Ceona will give him another chance and will look past his flaws and vote him back into the Senate."

The Senate may be his first choice, but Deetch is also considering a run for governor, the sources said.

Current Governor Tom Cozier (C) will step down in 2020 due to term limits, creating an open governors seat.

However, recent poll by the Opinion Research on a hypothetical match up in the 2020 governor's race found Deetch trailing Elizabeth Graham 44% - 54%, and Deetch trailing former state attorney general John Ennis 44% - 53%, respectively.

Opinion Research is currently conducting polling on potential 2020 Senate races, with results expected in the next few weeks.

A spokesman for the former senator declined to comment on Deetch's future plans.

Damoign Nationalists won fight over constitutional amendment, but they lost the messaging war, says top NAT lawmaker

UPTON, Damoign -- The recent, controversial fight over re-election rules for governors has deeply divided the state of Damoign.

Nationalists prevailed in ending a decades-old ban on governors running for re-election consecutively.

Voters approved the NAT-backed measure with 56 percent on Saturday.

But while Nationalists won the battle over term limits, a top Nationalist state lawmaker says his party lost the messaging war on the issue.

"We won, we got what we wanted, but in terms of messaging and public relations, the Conservative Party was more effective than we were. They made their case better. They made stronger arguments. And now they have a potent issue to batter the Nationalists with in the next election," said state Sen. Harold Lambe, who represents northwest Grassadellia City in the state Senate.

Lambe, a moderate Nationalist, said he supported changing the constitution to allow governors to seek consecutive terms. But the way the Nationalist Party went about it was "a public relations nightmare."

"Most people support their position. Most people agree with the Nationalists on this issue. But the way they went about it was not optically very good," Lambe told Michael Micardi on GNN's Awakening A Nation Sunday.

"The NAT won, but people are mad about the way they did it. They went around the rules. They used obscure procedural rules to get what they want. Rather than wait a sufficient amount of time before holding another referendum, they rushed it through, because they knew the longer they waited, the less likely voters would be sympathetic to their arguments. Rather than reach a compromise with Conservatives, they just decided to do what they wanted, even if it was not very popular with the voters. This at-all-costs tactic could very well backfire on us in 2020," said Lambe.

But NAT state chairman Tom Parry disputed Lambe's remarks.

"Our side won with 56 percent of the vote. So, I'm confused why Senator Lambe thinks we lost the messaging war. If we had lost the messaging war, we wouldn't have won with 56 percent. You can't lost the messaging war but win an election, that makes absolutely no sense," Parry told reporters Sunday outside a campaign fundraiser for Damoign Governor Jenna Duvan Sunday in east Middleboro.

Regardless of who won the messaging war, the contentious issue and that NAT's circumvention of conventional legislative rules is bound to come up on the 2020 campaign trail.

In fact, it already has. Immediately after Jenna Duvan spoke at the "Yes" campaign's victory rally in Middleboro Saturday night, several prominent Conservatives, many who are rumored to be considering a challenge to Duvan, posted criticism on social media.

"The Nationalists will have to account for this at the next election," Assemblyman Brandon O'Malley, a Conservative from Oscarville, tweeted.

"I'm disappointed tonight, not so much by the result, but more so by the unfair and shady way the Nationalist Party went about doing it," Assemblyman John DeGallio, C-Columbus, told Grassadellia City news channel TV1.

And Kim Camden, who served as Deputy Secretary of The Treasury in the Dan Byelle Administration, posted on her Facebook page, "This kind of maneuvering and side-stepping by Jenna Duvan is exactly when people hate the Nationalist Party in Damoign."

There was one prominent Conservative voice, however, who voiced approval at the results of Saturday's referendum.

Former Governor Sid Hoffa said changing the law is "common sense," and the issue has been needlessly politicized.

"It's unfortunate that the politics in our state have devolved so much in the past few years, to the point where people are so politicized, so bitterly partisan, that they refuse to evaluate issues objectively. They always look at everything through a partisan point of view, and that's adding to the enmity in our political process," Hoffa said. "It's very sad and unfair to the people of Damoign."

Damoignites vote to end term limits for governors

GRASSADELLIA CITY -- Voters in the nation's most-populous state approved a constitutional amendment Saturday to end a decades-old ban that prohibited state governors from serving two consecutive terms in office.

Voter turnout was low in Saturday's special state-wide referendum. Secretary of State Rob Mercheck estimated voter turnout at 52 percent with about 9.2 million votes.

With almost 56% of the vote (5.1 million votes), the "Yes" side, which was in favor of ending the ban on consecutive terms, easily defeated the "No" campaign, who voted to retain the one-term status quo.

The No campaign took 44%, or a little less than 4.1 million votes.

The issue of term limits for governors has been a hot-button issue in recent years. Nationalists, who far outnumber Conservatives in the state, had called for an end to the one-term rule, saying it hand-cuffed governors and prevented them from enacting substantive reforms that normally take more than one term to accomplish.

"Today's constitutional referendum result is a success for Damoign," said incumbent Governor Jenna Duvan, who supported ending the rule.

"Damoign was the only state in the country with a one-term rule, no other state has that restriction. This rule has hampered governors in the past from accomplishing large-scale reform. Damoign is a large state with 31 million people. There are some reforms that just can't be accomplished in a mere 4 years. This change in state law will allow governors to finally run for re-election, be evaluated on their records, and have more time to get their agenda achieved," said Duvan at a rally for "Yes" supporters in Middleboro.

The "No" campaign argued lifting the ban would allow Nationalists - who already hold significant power in the state government - to solidify their strength.

"It's just a power-grab by the Nationalist Party and Jenna Duvan, that's all it is," state Senator Joe Murino (C-Tolston) told the National Press Federation (NPF) after the votes were tallied.

"Jenna Duvan wanted to change the law so she can run for re-election and further cement her power. The Nationalists know they have the advantage in this state, and they know if they can lift the ban, then they can re-elect Nationalist governors over and over again and Conservatives will have an even more difficult time winning state-wide elections," Murino said.

While the lines were drawn largely along party lines, there was bipartisan support for each.

Many Conservatives, including former Governor Sid Hoffa, joined with Nationalists to support ending the ban.

"This isn't a partisan issue. It's not about Nationalists versus Conservatives. It's about giving a governor the executive power and authority he or she needs to get legislation passed and policy implemented," Hoffa told reporters at the victory rally in Middleboro.

"I respect my Conservative friends who disagree with me on this issue. I see their point of view, I hear their concerns, and I understand they are worried this will help the Nationalist Party. But this is not about party, this is about constitutional authority for governors, regardless of party. This change in the law will help Nationalists and Conservatives. Governors of both parties will benefit from this reform," added Hoffa.

Similarly, on the "No" side, some Nationalists joined Conservatives to oppose the change.

Opposition mainly came from hardline liberals, who are frustrated with mainstream Nationalist politicians whom they view as "too corporate" and compromised by big corporate money.

"The ban on governors running for re-election was put in place back in the 1980s because before we had the ban, we had governors who were corrupt and who had unchecked power," state Sen. Greg Kelley (N-Sexton).

"This ban on running for consecutive terms helped curtail that corruption. And now, the Nationalist Party basically wants to change the law because Jenna Duvan wants to run for a second term, and they know that this will benefit them politically, it's political opportunism," said Kelley.

"I don't care which party is in power in Mattinow. Unchecked power, corruption, graft, unregulated corporate influence, it will corrupt. The people will lose out."

The "Yes" team received the most support in Xavier County in southeast Damoign, with 78% voting in favor of changing the law.

Danderfield County, a Conservative stronghold in the state's southwest, had the highest support for the "No" side, with 77% voting against the proposal.

Though divisive, it is hoped by many that Saturday's referendum will put the issue to bed once and for all.

Damoign voters already voted in favor of lifting the ban back in 2016, with 56 percent voting in favor.

But in September 2017, the Damoign Supreme Court invalidated that election, saying the text in the state's constitution dealing with state-wide initiatives and constitutional amendments was vague and required clarification from lawmakers.

At the time, the constitution did not specify a minimum percentage of votes required to approve constitutional amendments, as all previous constitutional amendments had been approved through the legislature only.

The court asked the state legislature to "clarify" the exact threshold necessary to approve amendments, and then recommended holding a second referendum once the exact specifications were added to the constitution.

Months of legislative testimony and committee investigations led nowhere, however. Conservative state lawmakers demanded a 60% threshold be required to approve amendments in referendums, while Nationalists wanted an easier to attain simple majority.

With Conservative lawmakers digging their heels in and refusing to compromise, Governor Jenna Duvan and her NAT allies in the state legislature opted for a controversial next move.

NAT lawmakers voted to temporarily amend the state's constitution to require only a simple majority, with the 60% threshold going into effect in September 2019.

This allowed Duvan and her allies to put the referendum back to the voters (before September 2019), but only need a simple majority to approve the change in re-election rules.

This procedural run-around by Nationalists angered Conservatives, with state Sen. Rudy Ruppert (C-Middleboro) calling the June 29 referendum "a sham concocted by Nationalists to benefit Nationalists."

Resentment among Conservative lawmakers lingers in the state capitol of Mattinow, with many Conservative state representatives and senators walking out of the legislative chambers Friday in protest.

 Nationalists say the change is controversial but in the voters' best interest.

"We trust the voters to elect their leaders. Voters are smart enough to choose a governor. They can decide for themselves if they want to re-elect a governor to a second term. If the governor is doing a bad job, the voters will elect someone else," said Sen. Nathan Demenlo (N-Limpet Village).

"This amendment really doesn't change much. It allows governors to run for re-election and back-to-back terms. That's it. It allows them to run. It doesn't mean they'll win," said Demenlo.

Saturday's win for the "Yes" campaign means Jenna Duvan will be permitted to run for a second term in September 2020.

While dissenting Conservatives can't prevent the constitutional amendment from taking effect, they can raise the issue on the campaign trail in 2020.

"Jenna Duvan got her way. She skirted around the voters, she went against precedent and tradition, and she and her NAT cronies found a circumventing way to pass their amendment. But she will have to answer to the voters in 2020. People will ask her, 'Why did you throw voters under the bus? Why did you go around the rules and the norms?' She will have to answer those questions and there are no good answers for them," state Conservative Party spokesman Michael Anlo said following the referendum's result.

Duvan shrugged off the criticism.

"This wasn't about me. This was about giving future governors the means to do their job effectively. The voters already voted in favor of this, 56 percent of them. So I'm standing up for voters by fighting for this change," said Duvan.

'I want to suck on your toes': Man leaves sexually-explicit messages about Damoign Governor Jenna Duvan

MATTINOW, Damoign -- A 42-year-old man has been arrested for harassment after making obscene phone calls to the office of Damoign Governor Jenna Duvan.

Cary Rebbel from Harristown, a suburb on Grassadellia City's southern edge, was arrested and charged with harassment after making repeated obscene phone calls to the governor's office.

In one message, Rebbel allegedly said he "wanted to suck on Duvan's toes," according to a police report released by the Damoign State Police.

In another recorded phone call, Rebbel made graphic sexual comments about the governor, police say.

Rebbel also posted similar comments on Duvan's official Facebook page. The posts were deleted but retrieved by police after they filed a subpoena with the tech giant.

The suspect told police he thinks Duvan is "sexy" and that he has a sexual fetish that involves women's feet.

Police say Rebbel does not know the governor personally and has never met her, and he has no known connections to her campaign, her office or her staff members.

Rebbel was released from the Gregorson County Jail on $5,000 bond, and was ordered by a judge to not have any communication with the governor's office or staff members.

A spokesperson for the governor declined to comment.

The incident comes as a Grassadellia City fashion designer is set to publish a new picture book about Duvan's extensive stiletto collection.

A former model, the governor, age 39, is known for her attractiveness and impeccable appearance. She is often the subject of media attention for her sex appeal and chic outfits, and she is almost always seen wearing designer stilettos.

The book, called "In Jenna's Shoes," is a pictorial collection, with written commentary and anecdotes about the various stiletto shoes Duvan has been photographed in over the years. It's written by famed fashion designer and Duvan's close friend, Marc Gettes.

The book will be on sale June 12. 

Conservatives have a deep bench of candidates for 2020 Veroche governor's race

LANAKIS -- After two back-to-back losses in close gubernatorial elections, Veroche Conservatives are eager for their next chance in 2020.

Gov. Tom Harper, a Nationalist, is up for re-election in 2020, and there is no shortage of Conservative candidates to take him on as he seeks a second term.

Harper eked out a win over Brad Davidson (C) in 2016, taking 50.4% of the vote to Davidson's 49.6%, respectively.

Since he took office in January 2017, his popularity has been mediocre. While recent polling has shown voters approve of his handling of the state's economy - which was suffering when he took office - Harper is not especially well-liked.

Progressives like his stances on climate change and raising the minimum wage, but the billionaire businessman has come under attack from the left-wing of his party for his wealth.

Conservatives equally detest him, viewing him as a hardcore liberal who represents "Lanakis values" that are more left-wing than the rest of the state.

All this has combined to make Tom Harper a prime target in the 2020 elections.

Several liberal activists, including several who call themselves "socialists," are publicly considering challenging Harper in an NAT primary or running to the left as Liberal Democrats or Independents.

And a whopping 16 Conservative candidates have either expressed interest in challenging Harper or are rumored to be interested.

Topping the list are Lanakis Mayor Dick Scholinger, a socially-moderate Conservative who has ran for statewide office several times in recent election cycles but has often been rebuffed by the more right-wing CNS party base.

Fellow moderate Georgia Waldo Basson, mayor of Tiaugen in the south-central part of the state, is also mulling a bid, as are fellow mayors Andy Hackett (Kanassett), Mac Griffin (Red Leaf), Tom Settler (Collettasville), Jake Girdeaux (DeMara) and Ric Renner (Pendleton).

Assemblymen Vaughn Laudney, Don Christaman, Mike Dallenhall and Rich O'Neil are all considered strong contenders, should they run.

State Rep. Evan Liu of Marronville, state Sen. Mark Holworth of Dishpry, and state Sen. Artemis "Al" Paccioli from Deniece are all three said to be considering running.

Other possible candidates include another billionaire businessman, Bill Enos of Lanakis, who has never held political office before, and Gen. Greggory Hunt Jordan who previously ran the military's Trewallen Academy in central Veroche.

Senator Kit McHenry, fresh off re-election in 2018, has ruled out running for governor. as has Assemblyman Tim Wenbosh and former CNS candidates Steve Leona and Steve Serpino.

None of the aforementioned candidates have announced they're running, but many have quietly begun reaching out to donors, according to sources within the state's CNS party, who were not allowed to comment on internal party discussions.

Conservatives like Dick Scholinger and Georgia Waldo Basson have widespread name recognition, but they may struggle to win over the ardent conservatives who live outside liberal Marcialeukia County, which includes much of the Lanakis metro area.

And observers from across the political spectrum worry about the impact of personal wealth in the race.

Harper is worth more than $1 billion, as is Conservative Bill Enos.

Dick Scholinger's net worth is less but still in the hundreds of millions.

"One of our great fears is that the 2020 Veroche's governor's race will become a contest between two billionaire candidates. If big money floods the election, it would be a huge problem for average candidates who don't have those kinds of personal resources, and it would do a disservice to the people of Veroche, they wouldn't get to consider 'normal' candidates who aren't billionaires," said Adam Danforth, president of the Grassadellian Council on Fairness in Elections, a think-tank that seeks to limit the influence of big money in political campaigns.

Harper's vast personal wealth was an issue in the 2016 race, but in campaign ads and debates, he said his personal fortune was evidence he was a good businessman who could bring the economy back.

"Billionaires know how to make money," Harper said. "They know how to create jobs, how to lower unemployment, how to get construction and industry moving, they know how the economy works."

The economy has made strides under Harper's tenure. Unemployment is down to four percent from a high of nearly eight percent under his predecessor Linda Van Auhn. And construction is up in most of the state's major cities.

But the cost of living remains stubbornly high, particularly in the Lanakis-Kanassett-Southwick metroplex.

Harper has also encountered opposition on non-economic issues. He's faced criticism for the state's struggling schools, his hesitation to intervene in the slow-going clean-up of Lake Hutchins, and for raising taxes.

The governor has won praise for his work on infrastructure, however, even from Conservatives.

"The bottom line is: the economy is moving in Veroche again," Jared Donnelly, a spokesman for the Harper re-election campaign, said in an email to GNN.

The economic picture is not as rosy as Harper claims though, Matt Harrell from the Veroche Conservative Party told GNN.

"When people can't afford to pay rent in the L-K-S metro area, when people pay exorbitant taxes and still sit in traffic for hours, when tuition keeps rising every year because Tom Harper and his liberal allies can't manage the state's budget, that's a problem for Veroche families."

Death of boy at home for troubled youth prompts state investigation

BIRCH HOLLOW, East Deschire -- Calls for investigation and reform are coming from all corners of East Deschire's political community after a 12-year-old boy died at a home for troubled adolescents.

David Arguyle was under court-ordered custody at the Trumbull Boys Home in Birch Hollow last week when he went into a severe seizure episode during a confrontation with the home's staff.

He was taken by ambulance to Benevolence Hospital in Hansboro but died a few hours later.

It's unclear exactly what caused his death, doctors said.

The Selkford County Coroner will perform an autopsy later this week, since the boy died at the hospital located in Selkford County.

Meanwhile, police in neighboring Begoran County are investigating the incident.

They'll wait on the autopsy report before making a decision about charging any of the boys' home's staff, Begoran County Sheriff Dave Eisen said.

Records obtained from the state's Department of Children Services through a Freedom of Information request show the Trumbull Boys Home had major violations at its last two evaluations by state regulators.

On at least three separate occasions, Arguyle told a case worker the home's nursing staff did not give him medication prescribed for his epilepsy. Investigators determined in two of those incidents the nurse should have given him the medication.

Arguyle was also sedated multiple times by the home's behavioral staff, those incidents are also under review.

East Deschire Governor Val Hennemott called Arguyle's death "incredibly tragic," but cautioned that it's too early to know exactly what happened.

However, "the fact that this particular institution had two major violations and was allowed to continue operations with limited supervision from state regulators is inexcusable," she said.

"I won't comment on the specific incident that resulted in David's death, but I will say it appears this facility had other violations and had run-ins with him in the past that should have raised major red flags with the DCS," Hennemott said at a press conference.

She offered her condolences for Arguyle's family.

Arguyle's father is deceased and his mother is serving time in a prison in Marchenay.

But a family friend told the National Press Federation (NPF) that Heather Mollon, Arguyle's mother, is devastated.

"She wants justice for David and for the people who caused his death," the friend said about Mollon.

Leslie Hawkin, Director of the DCS, expressed grief and regret at a press conference and promised a thorough investigation.

"We take the job of protecting our children very seriously at the Department of Children Services, and David's death has profoundly impacted me and everyone that works in our agency. We are so very saddened by his death, we want answers, and we will get those answers. If there were mistakes made we will correct those mistakes and fix the system so a tragedy like this never happens again," said Hawkin.

Lincoln Behavioral Centers Corporation, the company that runs the Trumbull Boys Home, also expressed condolences in a written statement.

"Our sincerest condolences go out to the family of David Arguyle. We are cooperating fully with state investigators, we are conducting our own internal investigation to insure all procedures and protocols were followed properly."

"Our mission has always been to protect and help the children who come to our facilities, and we have always done and will always do everything possible to make sure every child is safe in our care."

Park ranger shot and killed in Blueshott Mountains

BRIGADEN GAP, March. -- Residents of a small, tight-knit community in southwestern Marchenay are reeling after a local park ranger was shot and killed in the line of duty Monday afternoon.

The shooting occurred at Clear Forest State Park in rural Carde County, nestled in the rolling Blueshott Mountains, near the Marchenay-Kensington state border.

Park Ranger James E. McEniff, 65, was about to clock off his shift for the day when he noticed a suspicious vehicle and approached the driver's side.

At that time, an unknown male assailant got out of the vehicle and opened fire, striking McEniff six times in the chest, neck and arm. The vehicle then fled the scene.

A group of hikers who saw the shooting happen called 911, but spotty cell phone reception at the heavily-wooded park delayed calls for help.

Police and medics arrived 20 minutes later, but McEniff was pronounced dead on the scene. The park is located about 10 miles from the nearest town, Brigaden Gap, population 1,200. The nearest large city is Necadia, Kensington, about 40 miles to the southeast.

McEniff's death is the first for the Marchenay State Parks Department in 24 years. McEniff was already retired and serving in an auxiliary role, the department said in a statement.

"We are tremendously saddened by today's tragedy in Carde County," State Parks Director John McLeod said at a press conference in Newcastle. "Ranger McEniff was a dedicated public servant who loved his community and loved the outdoors and most of all, loved his job of bringing nature to the citizens of Marchenay. Our thoughts are with his family and colleagues at this very difficult time," McLeod said.

No suspects have been apprehended at this time. Witnesses were about 300 feet away when the shooting happened, so they could not give detailed descriptions of the suspect due to the long distance.

The suspect is loosely described as a tall, white male, approximately 40-50 years old, with long and curly black and a moustache. He was wearing a light colored shirt and shorts.

Carde County Sheriff Andy Weyrick warned there may be more than one suspect.

"Witnesses only saw one suspect but we don't know how many other people were in the vehicle, if any," Weyrick said.

The suspect's vehicle appeared to be an older 1990s or early 2000s dark green Chevrolet Suburban with Wilkonshire license plates.

A nationwide All-Points-Bulletin (APB) has been issued for vehicles fitting that description.

McEniff was well-known in the community, and local residents were mourning his killing.

"Ranger McEniff is someone who held a prominent standing in our community and we all feel his loss," Sheriff Weyrick said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Carde County Sheriff's Department or the Marchenay State Police.

Monomi Nationalists unload on Scott King

TRIETON -- Prominent Nationalists are not holding back against former governor Scott King (N) after his write-in campaign in the 2018 race split the centre-left vote and allowed an unpopular Conservative candidate to win the governorship.

King, 48, is no stranger to scandal. During his previous tenure as governor in the 2000's, he was narrowly recalled by voters following allegations of hiring prostitutes and corruption. He was never charged in that case, however.

Despite being abandoned by many prominent NAT allies, King stayed in the political limelight, going on to write books and host a TV news-comedy show on the STAR Network.

In 2018, the former governor decided to run for his old job. Still deeply popular among some working-class, blue-collar Monomians, King surprised his opponents and supporters alike when he secured the NAT gubernatorial nomination in a hard-fought race against Trieton businesswoman and Pro-Athletica CEO Beth Gowan.

King went on to choose Gowan as his running mate, and the two were riding high in the polls against Conservative Attorney General Will Huxton and his running mate Doug Aker, a former mayor of Trieton.

But then more allegations against King surfaced. New women came forward alleging prior incidents of sexual harassment, assault, and date rape.

King vehemently denied the allegations, calling them a smear campaign by old enemies within his party and within the Conservative party.

Many prominent voices called on him to resign from the NAT ticket and let Gowan take over as the NAT's nominee, but his supporters called the new allegations "fake news," a favorite expression used by US President Donald Trump.

After refusing to step down from the NAT ticket voluntarily, he was forcibly removed from the ballot by the state NAT party committee and replaced with Gowan, who made a solid effort to get the NAT campaign back on track.

But even with the best of luck, Gowan had little chance of winning after the new allegations against King came to light.

And whatever tiny chance she had of recovering the campaign was further doomed when King announced he would continue his run for governor as a write-in candidate.

In defiance of NAT party leadership, King decried the party's handling of the allegations against him, arguing the party leadership should have stood by him until an investigation could be completed.

"They totally abandoned me without even hearing me out," he told local media shortly after he was removed from the ticket. "I wasn't given an opportunity to defend myself, to explain why the accusations against me were untrue, there was no chance to ask for an investigation, it was just 'Scott you need to step aside.'"

The intra-party split between King and his supporters and those Nationalists who wanted him banished ended in a split centre-left vote, allowing Attorney General Will Huxton, a hardline Conservative, to win the governorship, taking 40 percent to Gowan's 33 percent. King's write-in campaign netted him just over 22 percent.

And now, months after the election and the inauguration of Huxton, Nationalists are coming out of the woodwork to blame Scott King and hopefully eradicate him from Monomi politics once and for all.

Over the past few months, multiple Nationalist politicians and operatives have criticized the former governor.

Nathan Lister, a federal senator who was up for re-election in 2018, had the unfortunate luck of sharing the ballot with King, and blamed his loss to Conservative Assemblyman Brooke Burnstein partially on King's scandal.

"Because of his scandal, whether or not the accusations against him are true, a lot of Nationalist voters stayed home and didn't go to the polls," Lister told the Trieton Sun. "A lot of people felt like Scott King is ruining our party's chance at winning, so what's the point? They were demoralized and expecting a loss, so they just stayed home, which was fine for Scott King, but sucked for Beth Gowan and for me," said Lister.

Gowan had similar sentiment in an interview with Monomi 9 News.

"No matter what happened afterwards, it would have been difficult for us to win this race following the accusations that came out against Scott," Gowan said. "It's very hard to recover from that type of a bombshell that hits your campaign. It's not impossible to recover from that, but it's very hard."

"But I can tell you that if Scott King had stepped aside and not ran his write-in campaign, Nationalists would have been more united and we would have had a better chance of beating Will Huxton. It would have been an uphill climb, but it would have been more achievable. But by choosing to run as a write-in candidate despite everyone in the leadership calling on him to drop out, despite many of his own advisors and supporters urging him to drop out, Scott King basically handed the election to Will Huxton. Any chance of the NAT winning this race just went out the window at that point," said Gowan.

More recently, Mark Gerring, who worked as the communications director on King's ill-fated campaign, said he advised King to step aside completely but was rebuffed.

"I thought it would be in the best interest of the party, in the best interest of all his campaign staff, and in his own best interest to just step aside, let Beth Gowan take up the mantle, and forget about this race. Sometimes you have to know when to fold your cards, and in my opinion, this was one of those times," Gerring told the Sun.

But not all of King's advisors agreed with Gerring's assessment. Gerring admits many campaign advisors urged King to stand firm.

"There were several members of the team who told the governor he should stand up to these allegations, call them out for what they were, which was 'fake news.' There were a lot of people who felt these allegations were just politically-motivated lies meant to smear Scott King and screw him of any chance of winning," said Gerring.

"Some members of the campaign staff thought the allegations were completely false, completely a sham, and others wanted to believe they were a sham but eventually arrived at the conclusion that they were likely true."

Gerring was one of those who initially doubted the veracity of the accusations against King, but later came to believe them. Once he arrived at that conclusion, he resigned from King's campaign.

Gerring has not spoken to King since he resigned.

"It's unfortunate, because Scott King was a great leader, he had so much potential, and he has done so much for Monomi, and a lot of his ideas are great ideas, but they never saw the light of day because the clouds of scandal just loomed over everything."

Meanwhile, some of the harshest criticism of King has come from outside his inner-circle.

Former federal Senator Hanna Gorbachy, who is highly revered in Monomi's state NAT party, said King's decision to launch a futile write-in campaign was "a dumb move" and "very unfortunate."

"You have to know Will Huxton and his team were just filled with glee and jubilation when they saw that Scott was going to run as a write-in candidate. It was the best gift we could give them," Gorbachy said of the NAT.

Another former senator, Brad Fiodora, said he too was dismayed by King's decision.

"I respect Scott King for what he's done and for the shared values we hold on things like labor, the economy, criminal justice reform, etc." Fiodora told the GBC. "But I cannot respect him for sabotaging Beth Gowan's chances and sabotaging the party's chances for his own selfish reasons."

"His scandal hurt a lot of people who really had nothing to do with it. Beth Gowan didn't play any part in Scott's troubles. Nate Lister didn't play any role in it. And yet they both suffered because of it and that's very sad," said Fiodora.

Bruce Gove, a senior fundraising strategist who works for the Nationalist Governors Association, also known by its acronym NATGA, called King's failed gubernatorial campaigns "a complete shit-show."

"What happened in Monomi with Scott King was a complete shit-show. The buffoonery and selfishness of one person caused the entire state party to implode. Scott King brought the tent down and it collapsed on everyone else that happened to be in it," Gove said in an interview on a Devanough radio station last week.

The Trieton Sun reached out to King for his reaction to the harsh words from his former allies.

Although used to being in the hot seat because of misconduct allegations, King declined to take part in a sit-down interview with the Sun.

But he did comment via email, in his typically colorful style, maintaining his innocence of the accusations leveled against him.

"This so-called 'scandal' that I've been brought into is fake, it's false, there is no truth to any of these claims of abuse or inappropriate conduct. I admit I made some poor dating choices and I drank too much alcohol. I'll admit that I have a weakness for beautiful women, as I've said in the past. But I do not and never have abuse women or treat them inappropriately. Period."

King told the Sun he is "truly sorry" for the adverse impact his scandal had on Beth Gowan and Nathan Lister, but he insisted the party leadership could have handled the situation better.

"Monomi politics are dirty. They always have been. There are a lot of shady tactics that go on by both parties. The people of Monomi know me, they know my past, they know all the foolish decisions I've legitimately made in my personal life and they know all the bogus "allegations" I've been accused of over the years. The voters are smart enough to see through this bullshit. And had the party given me a chance to defend myself, to explain the specifics of these allegations, to have my due process, we could have still won this race."

King acknowledged it would have been difficult to overcome the allegations against him, but he pointed to the unpopularity of Conservative Attorney General Will Huxton.

"Look, people know me. They know I'm not an angel. They know I was a party boy, a frat boy, a guy who loves the ladies. They know my dirty secrets. And while some people don't like the real me, there are also a lot of people who can't stand Will Huxton. He's extreme, he's a hardliner on women's choice, he's a hardliner on sex ed [education], he's a hardliner on immigration, he's a gun rights nut, and more than all that, he's a dweeb. He's a bozo. And people can't stand him because of that. There are a lot of voters who would have voted for me over Will Huxton any day, but the party didn't even consider that, they just threw me out the door and said 'don't ever come back.'"

"And that's why I had to continue my campaign as a write-in candidate. I couldn't let my supporters down, I couldn't let lies and falsehoods sink my campaign, and I couldn't let the party get away with its blatant disrespect and mistreatment of me and my supporters and my staff," said King.

King did agree with Bruce Gove that the whole situation surrounding his campaign was "a shit-show."

"Oh there's no doubt it was a shit-show, definitely. It was a crazy couple months dealing with all this bullshit, but it could have been way less dramatic and divisive if the party would have backed me up."

Since the election, the disgraced candidate has not officially gone into hiding - he's still living in Trieton and venturing out into public. However, he is currently unemployed and living off royalties from his book sales.

His news-comedy TV show on the STAR Network was canceled when he ran for governor. So far there are no plans to revive the show, but King would not rule out a return to television. He's also planning to get back on the speaking circuit and to become an adjunct political contributor to the STAR News Network.

Asked what he's learned over the past year during another divisive campaign:

"I've learned that you really find out who your true friends are when shit hits the fan. A lot of people I thought were friends abandoned me and walked away, and that was hard, it was painful. But also a lot of really great people stood by me and continue to support me through everything, and those people are even more special and precious. Those kinds of friends are priceless."

Laskie to run for Alieva County Prosecutor

RATHCLAN, S. Ceona -- The voters of South Ceona soundly rejected him for a second term last week, but that's not stopping former Gov. Greg Laskie (C) from jumping right back in to the political fray.

Laskie, who lost by four percentage points to Nationalist political new-comer Brett Ratenzy, announced Tuesday he will set his sights on a much smaller and less-prestigious prize: county prosecutor.

Despite his bruising defeat in the governor's race, Laskie said he will run for county prosecutor in Alieva County, which is home to the state capital of Rathclan.

With a population of 135,000, the county includes the eastern suburbs of Fairfield and leans Conservative.

It has served as home base for Laskie in all of his congressional and gubernatorial campaigns over the years.

At his announcement press conference, the obvious question reporters wanted to know was why Laskie was not retreating to private life after a humiliating defeat.

"Most candidates would quietly fade from public life after losing a high-profile political race," Wade Finley of the Fairfield Integrus newspaper asked Laskie. "Why are you choosing to not only stay in the spotlight, but to re-enter the political scene so quickly after a grueling campaign?"

Laskie responded by saying "the spirit of public service is still calling," and the former governor and assemblyman said serving as county prosecutor would be more amenable to his family situation.

"Right now my wife has cancer, I have small kids at home, I don't feel compelled to run for Congress again because that would take me back straight back to Mavocke. But working as county prosecutor in my hometown would allow me to continue to serve, to continue to make a living, and to be close to my family and my wife," Laskie, 46, said.

"And it would allow me to do what I love, to be a prosecutor," he added.

Before entering state politics, Laskie was a local and federal prosecutor.

His political career was built largely on his tough-on-crime record.

"Fighting crime is still my passion, protecting our community, protecting our state, protecting our children, holding criminal offenders accountable...those are all things that are very important to me."

It's unclear who Laskie may face in the prosecutor's race. The incumbent, Greg Estholm - also a Conservative - is retiring.

Laskie made clear his decision to seek a local position was not because he doubts his electability to statewide office.

"I was elected governor once before, I know I can win. I'm not doing this because I don't think I can win a higher office, I'm doing this because it's something I think I would be good at, it's right for me and my family, and it would allow me to give my talents to the local eastside community, which is very important to me since it's my hometown."

Brett Ratenzy, a first-time candidate, defeated Laskie in South Ceona's special gubernatorial election on March 26.

Ratenzy, 56, an auto union leader from Gallaghan, earned 51 percent of the vote to Laskie's 47 percent.

The moderate Nationalist campaigned on a message of building the economy and investing in social services, which had been gutted due to falling revenues thanks to deep tax cuts initiated during the Laskie administration.

Ratenzy is the second Nationalist to be elected to the governorship, and the first person from outside the Fairfield-Rathclan metro area to hold the position.

He's also the first governor since South Ceona's borders were reduced following the incorporation of the Kensington region in the eastern part of the state.

At his press conference, Greg Laskie wouldn't rule out another run for governor in the future, but said right now his focus is more localized.

Laskie's wife Cindy is battling aggressive breast cancer and has been receiving treatment at the Cramer Cancer Clinic at Fairfield Medical Center.

Hennemott nominates Sweeten, Halitz for cabinet posts

DEROSA, E. Des. -- Fresh off her surprising win in East Deschire's governor's race, Val Hennemott has nominated two of her former Federal Senate colleagues for prominent cabinet positions.

On Tuesday, Hennemott (N) nominated Allison Sweeten to serve as her Secretary of Social Services.

A Nationalist from Bridgeworth, Sweeten previously served as a senator from 2012 until she was ousted in the December 2018 election, defeated by Conservative firebrand Nancy Lindselli.

Hennemott also nominated former Conservative Senator Denna Halitz for Secretary of Agriculture.

Halitz, from Christen-Kerr, served in the Senate from 2009-2014, and ran for Sweeten's Senate seat in 2018 but was defeated in the Conservative primary by Lindselli.

The two young women senators from opposite parties have clashed through the years over policy differences, with Halitz only months ago calling Sweeten "dangerous" and Sweeten chastising Halitz as out-of-touch with the middle class.

But the two former foes will now have to put their differences aside as they work jointly for their new boss and colleague Val Hennemott, who has promised a state government that "works for the people."

Both nominees are expected to be confirmed by the East Deschire state senate.

John Densy refuses to congratulate Will Huxton on election win

TRIETON, Mon. -- Outgoing Monomi Governor John Densy spent election night celebrating with his fellow Conservatives, but there was one Conservative colleague he purposely snubbed.

Monomi Attorney General Will Huxton (C) won a rare three-way race for governor, defeating Nationalist businesswoman Beth Gowan and former Governor Scott King, who ran as a write-in candidate after being stripped of the NAT's nomination.

Huxton took 40 percent (1.9 million votes), while Gowan ended with 33.5 percent (1.6 million) and King with 22 percent (1.07 million). Four percent of votes went to other minor party candidates (194,000).

Most Conservatives were energized when Scott King resigned as the NAT's candidate due to allegations of rape and sexual misconduct. King was replaced by Gowan, but the former governor chose to continue his campaign in protest as a write-in candidate.

The NAT's intra-party feud split the party into two camps - Gowan's and King's - and allowed Conservative Will Huxton to coast to an easy win.

But not every Conservative was celebrating Huxton's win.

Outgoing Governor John Densy - who is barred from seeking re-election due to term limits - refused to congratulate Huxton on his win.

Right away, Densy tweeted congratulations to Conservative Assemblyman Brooke Burnstein, who won the state's Senate race. And Densy posted similar congratulations on his Twitter account for other Conservative candidates who won state and local races.

But notably missing from the list of tributes was his heir to the governorship, Will Huxton.

Huxton supporters took notice of Densy's snub and responded.

"John Densy's latest snub of Will Huxton is just another example of the childish behavior that Mr. Densy has stooped to during this campaign," Huxton campaign manager Carey Barnes said in an interview at Huxton's victory party.

The governor and governor-elect have tangled since the beginning of the election campaign.

The two-term Densy made no secret of his distaste for Huxton early on when he declined to endorse the attorney general.

Densy also criticized Huxton for his hardline rhetoric on immigration.

"I think this fear-mongering about illegal immigration does nothing to solve the problem, it just stirs up emotions and gets people riled up," Densy told the GBC when asked about Huxton's anti-immigration views.

In the waning days of the race, reports surfaced that Densy was planning to vote for Nationalist Beth Gowan instead of Huxton, a grave sin to commit against a fellow Conservative.

Densy denied the rumors, but he also declined to support Huxton.

"Just like every Monomian, my vote is private and personal," he told the Trieton Sun newspaper.

The day after the election, Densy also slammed Huxton for running a "horrible" campaign, pointing out that Huxton only received 40 percent of the vote.

"Monomi is a conservative state, he should have gotten at least a majority, especially with the center-left vote split," Densy told a Trieton television station.

Though he did not mention Densy by name, when asked to respond, Huxton said it was "ironic that someone who accomplished very little over eight years in office is so opinionated about the person replacing him."

He later said the term-limited Densy's "star is fading."

"It's time to move forward. We have to move past Scott King. We have to move past John Densy. Monomi is moving forward and we're not looking back, and I'm honored to lead our state into the future."

Teedra Police: 2 officers gunned down on city's south side

TEEDRA, Monomi -- A massive manhunt is underway in Monomi after two police officers were shot and killed while on patrol Saturday night.

Teedra Police Chief Garth Harmon told local media that two officers with his department were parked in their patrol vehicle in an empty parking lot in south Teedra when they were gunned down just before 11:00 pm Western Time.

The names of the officers have not been released yet, but Harmon confirmed one was a male officer and the other a female.

It is believed the officers were sitting in their vehicle doing paperwork when the gunmen struck. The officers did not radio for help, leading investigators to determine the attack occurred quickly and without warning.

"The officers had no time to call for back-up, this was a very quick ambush that was over in a matter of seconds or perhaps minutes," Harmon said.

The officers did return fire, but both were struck multiple times. Authorities believe more than one gunman was involved, based on the number of bullet holes and injuries.

The Emerald Park Shopping Center, where the gun battle occurred, was largely empty at the time of the shooting, but a few employees in nearby stores saw the attack from a distance and called 911.

Witnesses provided police with a rough description of the suspects' vehicle, which Harmon described as a tan or light brown sedan with a loud stereo system.

After the attack, the vehicle sped away, heading west on Markin Boulevard.

Authorities are reviewing security camera footage from businesses in the shopping center.

Meanwhile, the Emerald Park Shopping Center remains closed off and police are asking the public to call 911 if they have any information on the suspects responsible, although Harmon cautioned the public to consider the unknown suspects armed and dangerous.

"We want the public's help to bring these animals to justice," Harmon said, "but we don't want anyone else to get hurt, so please, if you know who is responsible or if you have a lead for us, call 911 immediately, give us the information, and stay away from the person or persons you believe are involved."

Harmon called the shooting "a cowardly act" and vowed to bring the killers to justice.

Joining Harmon at the press conference was Teedra Mayor Paul Lasso, who condemned the attack and said the community "will not rest until we find those responsible for this heinous crime."

Monomi Governor John Densy, who is leaving office next week due to term limits, said he was "angry and saddened" at the news of the officers' killings.

"Monomi State Police will work with Teedra PD, Stepkin Co. Sheriff, and Crown Police to find these cowardly suspects," Densy tweeted late Saturday night.

Governor-elect Will Huxton, who will take over the governor's office from Densy next week, also spoke out, posting a video statement on his Twitter account.

"We will not let these thugs and cowards take another life from our law enforcement officers or our community. We will find them, and we stand in solidarity with the Teedra Police Department and the city of Teedra tonight," Huxton said.

Latinos make history in POG elections

LANSDALE -- Wealthy white men once dominated POG's state government. They still hold an advantage, but minorities have made big strides in POG's recent elections.

The state elected it's first minority governor, Ramon Ramos, who defeated a white man, Conservative Nick Karen.

A Nationalist, Ramos previously served as the state's first minority attorney general.

The two men who vied to replace Ramos as attorney general were both Latino.

Austin Mendajara, a young Conservative lawyer from east Lansdale, defeated NAT Assemblyman Emilio Salavarde for the prominent and influential position.

And in the state's secretary of state race, Conservative Benny Ortiz, a city councilor from Lansdale's southeast, defeated the better-known NAT Assemblywoman Michele Lancer.

Ramos, Mendajara and Ortiz are all three young Latino men in their late 30's or early 40's, and their election marks the first time three Latino statewide officials have been elected simultaneously in any state in Grassadellian history.

For Mendajara and Ortiz, the election was especially impressive, given that all other Conservative candidates on the ballot for statewide races lost, including all three CNS candidates for Federal Senate.

Assemblywoman Julie Dennings came up short against incumbent NAT Senator Diane Coke, as did first-time CNS candidate Mike Holloway, who lost to the NAT's John Paul Liffrey, a Kingham businessman.

And Senator George Mercott (N) crushed Conservative Paul Ashley, who was little-known and had few campaign funds.

Votes for the state's Assembly races are still being tallied, so it's still too early to know how Latino candidates and minority candidates in general fared in Assembly races.

But the fact that three of POG's highest-ranking offices are soon to be held by young Latino men is a powerful sign of progress, minority leaders say.

"This election shows us that POG is a very diverse state with many different groups represented," Natalya Kousmus, director of the POG Diversity Coalition, a pro-diversity think tank, told the NPF.

Ramos said race should not be a factor in how people vote, but he acknowledged his election is a "breakthrough."

"I said at the beginning I wanted people to vote for the candidate they believe in and they identify with, whose policies they support. I didn't want race to be a consideration when people vote, but unfortunately for some people, it is either a reason to vote for someone or against someone. But the forces that held minorities back before, the wealthy white men club that dominated state politics, it appears that wall has been breached," Ramos said in a sit-down interview with the Chamberlain Network following his victory party.

Mendajara and Ortiz said in a joint press conference they found the voters of POG to be largely open-minded and accepting, though Ortiz said he did face some racism on the campaign trail.

"I had a few people yell at me, call me racial slurs and one guy even spit at me when I went doorbelling for votes," Ortiz said. "It's disheartening, but it's not emblematic of POGeans in general. The racist people are the exception, not the rule."

Post-poll results show the election centered less around race and ethnicity and more around economics and geography. Wealthier communities favored Conservative candidates, while lower-income neighborhoods went to the NAT.

And the NAT dominated in Knoxbury, Wyneok, Kingham and the eastern suburbs of Lansdale.

Conservatives did well in the western suburbs of Lansdale, where they traditionally draw a high percentage of votes. They also excelled in rural areas, however heavy turnout in liberal-leaning areas in the major cities outweighed the CNS advantage in the rural counties.

The election means there will be no change in POG's Senate delegation; Nationalists will continue to hold three seats, with Conservative Dick Trau holding the state's fourth seat.

Despite endorsing Nick Karen to succeed her, outgoing Governor Donna Almone (C) congratulated Ramon Ramos on his victory in the governor race.

"As a former governor of POG, I wish all my successors well, and that includes Ramon Ramos," Almone said on election night.

In his concession speech, Karen said he is not sure what he will do after losing the governor's race, but "I'll still be around," he promised.

Diane Coke said POG's voters sent a strong message to the Conservative party that "they [voters] are fed up with the tired and trite Conservative platform of favoring the rich and wealthy at the expense of the middle class."

Mercott said the state NAT party "has a lot to be proud of" after the election, and newcomer John Paul Liffrey said the NAT must deliver on solutions.

"The voters sent a message tonight," Liffrey said at his election party in east Lansdale. "But now comes the hard part. We must govern. We must deliver on results. The voters aren't sending us to Mavocke and to Lansdale to sit around bickering and blaming the other side. They're sending us there to get things done and to produce results. This is in many ways the most challenging but most rewarding part of the process."

Dick Trau, the state's lone Conservative in the Senate, said he was disappointed his party didn't pick up any Senate seats, but said their wins in the attorney general and secretary of state races were "gratifying."

"I think we as a party need to look long-term at the candidates we pick, the demographics of our state, which are shifting away from us, and we have to craft a message that appeals not just to white middle class people but to people of color and minorities and women, etc," Trau said.

POG Election Results - 2018 General Election

Governor / Lt. Governor
Nick Karen / Jim Hines (CNS)	45.51%	3,197,488
Ramon Ramos / Phil Wantanab (NAT)	50.53%	3,549,908
Other	3.96%	278,139
Secretary of State
Benny Ortiz (CNS)	51.29%	3,603,346
Michele Lancer (NAT)	46.61%	3,274,904
Other	2.10%	147,285

Attorney General
Austin Mendajara (CNS)	50.99%	3,582,671
Emilio Salavarde (NAT)	47.13%	3,311,048
Other	1.88%	131,817
Senate
Paul Ashley (CNS)	34.23%	2,404,955
George Mercott (NAT)*	59.95%	4,211,543
Other	5.82%	409,037

Senate
Julie Dennings (CNS)	46.10%	3,238,550
Diane Coke (NAT)*	49.78%	3,497,498
Other	4.12%	289,487
Senate
Mike Holloway (CNS)	45.05%	3,164,931
John Paul Liffrey (NAT)	51.52%	3,619,285
Other	3.43%	241,319