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

Bob Mellon calls Tom O'Hearn a 'doofus'

CHRISTON, Wilk. -- Name-calling is not new in politics, but it's been the theme of the Wilkonshire Senate race this week.

In an interview with conservative talk radio host Mike Tyler, Conservative candidate Bob Mellon called his NAT opponent, incumbent Senator Tom O'Hearn, a "doofus."

"Tom O'Hearn, if you look at the bills he's proposed and the press conferences he's held and all the issues he's championed, you can see real quick that this guy is a doofus," Mellon said.

"[O'Hearn] isn't working to get things done. Instead, he's out on the front steps of the capitol holding a press conference about #MeToo and global warming and white privilege. He's not focused on the economy or taxes or jobs. He's just a mouthpiece for the radical, far-left wing of the Nationalist party."

Mellon was referring to the NAT party press conferences where O'Hearn has a frequent presence.

Indeed, the senator has taken up the #MeToo movement as one of his chief causes.

"I don't think any woman in this country should have to worry about riding public transportation and getting harassed by men, or a man assaulting them and getting away with it," he said, as liberal activists stood behind him holding signs that said "Not in my country."

O'Hearn has also been outspoken on climate change, introducing unsuccessful Carbon Tax legislation. He has vowed to continue to reintroduce the bill if the NAT wins a larger majority in the Senate.

The senator, who is seeking his second full term, responded to Mellon's jab, telling the GBC that Mellon is devolving to "petty insults."

"Bob Mellon may not think protecting women from sexual assault is important, and he may not believe in climate change, but I can tell you that as long as I am in the Senate, I will fight every day for these issues, because they are important to Wilkonshireans," O'Hearn said.

Mellon, an assemblyman from Petersboro in southern Wilkonshire, is making his first state-wide run for office. He's repeatedly cast O'Hearn as far-left, politically correct and out of touch with average Wilkonshireans.

Likewise, the O'Hearn campaign has portrayed Mellon as a radical conservative who favors big corporations and the rich.

Evangelicals are the face of POG's Conservative Party in 2018

LANSDALE -- The Conservative Party in POG will be led by Evangelicals heading into this election season.

The party's nominees for POG's most prominent races - governor and two Senate seats - are Evangelicals.

Nick Karen is the party's pick for governor. At age 39, he is a rising star in the CNS; he's also a prominent Evangelical assemblyman from the western suburbs of Lansdale.

He'll be joined on the ballot by Assemblywoman Julie Dennings, another prominent Evangelical from the suburban Dinsmore Hills area west of Lansdale who is the party's nominee for the Senate seat currently held by Nationalist Diane Coke.

Dennings has previously ran unsuccessfully for the Senate twice, she's hoping to unseat the first-term Coke.

And Mike Holloway, a businessman and political newcomer from Londonderry County in northern POG, is the CNS' nominee for the Senate seat being vacated by outgoing Senator Max Kiesling (N).

He'll face centrist Nationalist real estate financier John Paul Liffrey of Kingham.

Of the three leading Evangelicals - Karen, Dennings and Holloway - Holloway is the most conservative.

He won his four-way race against moderate former Senator Charlie Quince, Lt. Governor Fletcher Grisman (also a moderate), and the more conservative but little-known state Senator Debbie Siegler of DePonce, a suburb northeast of Lansdale.

Holloway has called for tax cuts, an increase in military spending, and an overhaul of how universities handle sexual assault cases.

Karen and Dennings are also solidly conservative, but their status as assembly members allied with party leaders has caused some far-right activists to label them part of the much-derided "establishment," or the group of party insiders who critics claim are less committed to the conservative cause.

Both Karen and Dennings faced daunting primary races. Karen defeated hardline entrepreneur Mike Indano and businessman Terry Silvi in his primary, while Dennings narrowly held off Tommy Maddox, a hardline conservative state representative from northern POG.

The influx of Evangelicals in POG's Conservative Party has some more moderate members of the party wondering feeling sidelined.

Outgoing Governor Donna Almone is a celebrated moderate in the Conservative Party, as are Lt. Governor Fletcher Grisman and Senator Dick Trau.

But in the 2018 election, the Conservative Party will be led by Evangelicals appealing to the more socially-conservative wing of the party.

Even so, Almone, Grisman and Trau have endorsed Nick Karen for governor, and all three are campaigning with him.

Almone, the matriarch of the state's Conservative Party and the most prominent politician in POG in recent memory, has also endorsed Dennings for Senate, though she has so far refrained from endorsing Mike Holloway.

The state has an unusual third Senate race on the ballot for the seat held by Nationalist incumbent George Mercott.

However, Mercott, the dean of POG's Senate delegation, is facing only token opposition from the CNS in his race, with Conservative activist Paul Ashley, largely unknown and under-funded, running against him.

This year's elections mark a pivotal moment in POG politics, as outgoing Governor Donna Almone leaves power after ten years in office and both parties clamor to secure power and fill the void after Almone leaves.

McCaren eyeing Alyssa Jones for education secretary

MAVOCKE -- Sources close to President Jim McCaren say the Nationalist president is considering former Conservative Senator Alyssa Jones to be the next education secretary.

The position is currently vacant, and Jones, despite being a staunch Conservative, has a close relationship with the president.

The two served in the senate together, both representing the state of Damoign.

McCaren's office has not confirmed his interest in Jones for the position, but sources, who asked for anonymity because they were not permitted to discuss the issue, told the Mavocke Capitol newspaper that McCaren is weighing choosing Jones.

Just this week, Jones ran a second time for the senate, but lost in the Conservative primary to Assemblywoman Patty Waters.

It could be a difficult task getting Jones confirmed by the senate, however.

She is an Evangelical and strongly conservative on social issues.

Her support of abstinence-only sex education and religious charter schools could be stumbling blocks for her.

A spokeswoman for Jones did not answer questions about the matter.

In her election night speech, after being defeated by Waters, Jones said she was not sure what job or career path she would take next.

She vowed to stay involved in politics, but didn't offer any specifics.

Duke Castlebury unseated in Armana senate primary race

MAINE CITY -- Incumbent NAT Senator Duke Castlebury has been defeated by a fellow Nationalist in his primary race, the NPF confirms.

With all precincts reporting, Emily Burkart, a 37-year-old banking executive from Maine City, was leading Castlebury 53% to 47%, respectively.

Seeking his second term, Castlebury, 76, had long been criticized for his conservative voting record in the senate. Though a life-long Nationalist, the senator frequently votes with Conservatives, primarily on military and foreign policy issues.

Burkhart, who previously challenged Conservative Senator Chuck Danbury unsuccessfully in 2010, centered her campaign around fighting for progressive ideals.

"Senator Castlebury has served his country, and we thank him for that. But he is not a progressive. He does not have a progressive voting record. He sides with Conservatives time after time. We need a fresh, progressive voice in Mavocke representing our state," Burkhart said last week at a campaign rally in Reading Township northeast of Maine City.

She focused specifically on women's issues and the #MeToo movement, as well as climate change, education and a $15 minimum wage.

At her campaign party north of the city, she announced that Castlebury had called her and conceded.

"We again thank Senator Castlebury for his service to our state and to our country as a veteran," she said.

Castlebury, at a more subdued gathering two hours northeast of the city, said he will continue to fight for Armana and for Nationalist ideals.

"I recognize that the voters spoke tonight, and they decided to back my opponent, and I respect the voters' wishes. But I have always been and remain a strong supporter of the Nationalist party and the Nationalist ideals of taking care of the Grassadellian people first above and before everything else."

"While this defeat stings, it does not change my convictions or my belief in labor, in health care for everyone, in social welfare, in strengthening the middle class."

Despite being 76 years old, Castlebury said he is not ready to retire from politics, but didn't say if he would run for office again.

"I don't know, I really don't know, so I can't tell you what I'll do. But I do know I will stay involved. That may mean running for office again. Or it may mean giving speeches and supporting candidates who I believe are the right leaders for our state and our country. I don't know how I'll be involved, but I will continue to be involved."

Liberal groups strongly backed Burkhart's campaign, while fellow centrist and moderate Nationalist politicians supported Castlebury.

"There aren't many of us moderate Nationalists left in the Senate these days," South Ceona Senator Vic Chambers told the NPF last week, while at a campaign fundraiser for Castlebury. "We need more people like Duke, who are willing to compromise and work with the other side."

Armana's senior senator and fellow foreign policy hawk Chuck Danbury lamented Castlebury's loss.

"Duke is a good man, and it's a shame that the Nationalist party is pushing out moderate leaders like him," Danbury told Maine City's largest newspaper last week.

Danbury himself is a moderate Conservative who often crosses over to vote with the NAT on key votes. He has faced similar criticism from the right flank of his party for being too liberal and too cozy with the other party.

"I've been on the receiving end of that stuff before just like Duke. I know what it's like to have the hardliners in your party pissed off at you and trying to push you out. I survived and I was hoping Duke would too because he's a good leader, we need him in the senate. But the Nationalist voters of Armana have had their say and they chose Emily Burkhart, so they've chosen a different course," said Danbury.

Fellow Armana Senator Dana Glow, also a moderate Conservative like Danbury, tweeted that he also was disappointed with Castlebury's defeat.

"Sad to hear about my friend and colleague Duke Castlebury. He is a good man who has done great things in the senate. He will be missed by members from both parties," Glow tweeted.

If she wins the December general election against Conservative state lawmaker Mike Holt - which she is strongly favored to do - Burkhart will join Danbury, Glow and Serap Figaori, a fellow progressive who holds Armana's fourth senate seat.

Figaori tweeted out his support for Castlebury and his congratulations for Burkhart.

"I have enjoyed every moment working with Duke Castlebury. On behalf of all Armanans, I thank him for his service. And I know Emily Burkhart will also make a great senator our state," he tweeted, adding the hashtag #OnToDecember.

Senate Majority Leader Debbie Madronas also honored Castlebury in a post on Facebook.

"Duke Castlebury will forever be remembered as someone who served his country, who fought for liberty, who fought for the underdog and the middle class, who fought for social welfare and a social democratic tradition in this country. It has been an honor to work with him and I speak for all Nationalist senators when I say 'Thank You Duke,' your service and sacrifice will not be forgotten."

Denna Halitz backs Sam Pyatt in campaign video but praises Val Hennemott

CHRISTEN-KERR, E. Deschire -- Former federal Senator Denna Halitz (C) says she is backing Conservative Sam Pyatt in the race for East Deschire governor, despite her close relationship with Pyatt's NAT opponent, Val Hennemott.

Questions had been swirling for months about whom Halitz would endorse in the race.

A longtime Conservative, Halitz has known Pyatt for years and the two served in Congress together.

However, Val Hennemott is a former federal senator also, and like Pyatt, served alongside Halitz.

In addition, after a crushing defeat in the 2014 election, Halitz returned to East Deschire looking to rebuild.

Hennemott offered her a partner-level job at her public relations and consulting firm in Christen-Kerr.

The two former female senators, from different parties, built a successful bipartisan consulting agency.

There was speculation Halitz might cross party lines and endorse Hennemott over Pyatt in allegiance to her colleague and business partner.

But in her announcement video, which was filmed in the living room of her home outside Christen-Kerr, Halitz said while she considers Hennemott a friend, she and Hennemott agree to disagree on politics.

"Our friendship transcends politics," she said.

"Val and I made an agreement a long time ago, and that agreement was this: we may endorse different political candidates or different political parties. We may not agree on politics. We may have polar opposite views. But we will always be friends no matter what. And each of us should feel free to voice our political beliefs and share our opinions without fear of damaging our friendship," said Halitz.

She pointed out that in the 2016 presidential race, Hennemott endorsed Nationalist Jim McCaren, while Halitz supported Conservative Donna Almone.

"Just because I endorse someone doesn't mean I don't like Val or think she would make a great governor. I think she would make a great governor. And she is a role model for women leaders in East Deschire. But I have to be true to my political convictions, and politically, I am more conservative, and Sam Pyatt is the more conservative choice, and I think he is well-positioned to lead, he's done a good job in his first term as governor, and we need to continue the work he's already done," Halitz said.

Sources close to both women told the GBC when Hennemott first began exploring a campaign for governor, she consulted with Halitz. The two agreed Hennemott was a viable candidate and had a strong chance of winning.

Hennemott even asked Halitz if she'd be interested in serving as her running mate.

Halitz expressed interest but said she didn't want to run against Pyatt, whom she also considers a friend. She also expressed doubt that a gubernatorial ticket led by two women could win in strongly-conservative East Deschire.

Halitz also reportedly expressed trepidation about endorsing a Nationalist candidate.

"Denna feared that if she backed someone from the NAT, that would effectively end her career in the Conservative party," said one source, who asked for anonymity because they were not permitted to speak to the media. "Denna is already considered a 'moderate,' a 'faux-Conservative' by many hardliners in her party. If she endorsed a Nationalist, that would just seal her coffin and she'd never be able to win another election in East Deschire as a Conservative."

After Lieutenant Governor Mark Ellsworth decided to run for attorney general, Sam Pyatt needed a new running mate to replace Ellsworth.

The governor reportedly asked Halitz if she wanted the job, but like she did when Hennemott asked, Halitz declined, saying she didn't want to run against her friend, Val Hennemott.

Pyatt ultimately chose Christen-Kerr Mayor Phil Qwenberry to be his running mate.

Hennemott chose her former rival, Hansboro businessman John Blackman, to be hers.

The sources who spoke to the GBC said they believe Halitz wants to endorse Val Hennemott, but is backing Sam Pyatt because of pressure from Conservative party leaders.

"If she didn't have to consider politics, I think she would back Val Hennemott, but she's trying to protect her political future, and part of that is loyalty to the party," the source said.

In her video statement, Halitz said she will campaign with Pyatt at various campaign events, but would not demonize the NAT ticket, or condone any negative attacks against Hennemott and Blackman.

"We need to return civility to our politics. I will not participate in any attack ads or negative mailings. I want to elevate the level of our discourse because at the end of the day, we are all East Deschireans who care about our state, whether you're Conservative or Nationalist."

The Val Hennemott campaign released a statement in response to this article, saying, "Val appreciates her friendship and business partnership with Denna Halitz. Val and Denna are both political veterans, and they both understand that sometimes in politics, friends are pitted against friends, and friends end up on different sides. But that's okay, because reasonable people can disagree on these issues and elections and still have a productive relationship."

Sam Pyatt, Val Hennemott agree to three debates

DEROSA, E. Deschire -- The two leading candidates for East Deschire governor have agreed to three debates in the coming weeks.

Governor Sam Pyatt (C), who is seeking re-election, proposed three debates: one in Hansboro, the state's largest city, one in Doylestown, the state's second-largest city, and one in Ridgeview, the largest city in the panhandle region in the west.

But Val Hennemott, the NAT candidate, took issue with Pyatt's proposal because Ridgeview is Pyatt's hometown, which might give the governor a home-field advantage.

The two campaigns ended up agreeing to one debate in Hansboro, one at the University of East Deschire in Clawfield in the southern part of the state, and the final debate at East Deschire State University in Elmstead, which is about 20 miles southeast of Ridgeview.

Meanwhile, in the state's high-profile senate race, incumbent Allison Sweeten (N) has agreed so far to only one debate with her Conservative challenger, Nancy Lindselli. That debate is tentatively planned to take place in Doylestown.

Lindselli has called for more debates around the state, and has criticized Sweeten for refusing to participate in more.

"The only reason a politician passes up on a debate is because they're afraid to answer questions. I wish Allison would agree to more of these debates we've proposed, because the people of East Deschire deserve answers," Lindselli told the Hansboro Laureate newspaper.

Sweeten's campaign responded in an email to the Laureate, insisting the senator has not agreed to more debates because of her busy schedule, not because she's dodging questions.

Lindselli is known for her sharp rhetoric and bullish presence in debates, where she seems to revel in the spotlight. Her zingers and one-liners against opponents are often stinging and draw laughs and boos alike.

Polls show a neck-and-neck race between Sweeten, 37, and 74-year-old Lindselli. 

Ramos leads in POG governor's race

LANSDALE -- A new Lexmark University shows state Attorney General Ramon Ramos (N) leading Conservative Assemblyman Nick Karen 52%-48% in the state's governor race.

The poll confirmed that Ramos, 44, who has served two terms as AG, has much more name recognition than the little-known Karen, who has represented a suburban west Lansdale district for six years.

Karen, age 39, narrowly beat back his more hardline primary opponents, businessmen Mike Indano and Terry Silvi, in the October primary race.

Ramos won a four-way race on the NAT side, beating federal Senator Max Kiesling, billionaire businessman Pat Gaynor and Assemblywoman Elaine Najiscoto from the state's southeast.

Poll results show Ramos is better known but has higher unfavorability ratings. Some 43% of respondents said they don't like him.

Forty-two percent of respondents said they don't know enough about Nick Karen to form an opinion.

Both men having been hitting the airwaves and campaigning across the state in a final push to win over undecided voters.

Karen has been endorsed by outgoing Governor Donna Almone and federal Senator Dick Trau. After finishing in third place in the primary race, Terry Silvi endorsed Karen, but Mike Indano, who finished in a close second, has refused to back Karen.

Ramos has received endorsements from Senators George Mercott and Diane Coke. Outgoing Senator Max Kiesling, who lost to Ramos, has declined to endorse him.

Pat Gaynor and Elaine Najiscoto have both given Ramos their backing.

Kiesling told the Lansdale Focus newspaper that he has concerns about Ramos' partisan history.

"Of course I want to see an NAT governor, but I want to see a governor that's a unifier, not someone who is a hard-line partisan, so I haven't made up my mind yet on whether I'll endorse Ramon or not," Kiesling said.

Scott King denies rape allegations as Monomi governor's race descends into chaos

TRIETON -- For the first ten minutes of the Monomi governor's debate Thursday night, former NAT Governor Scott King defended his reputation and denied allegations of rape and sexual harassment by multiple women.

"I am totally innocent of these allegations, I have never and never would rape a woman. These allegations are a political smear on my campaign and my good name, and I will fight back with everything I have because I refuse to let my political opponents sully my name and accuse me of something as awful and abhorrent as rape," King said in his opening statement at the debate.

King, whose political career was derailed back in 2010 due to a separate scandal involving rumored prostitutes and mismanagement of state money, won the 2018 Nationalist Party's nomination for governor back on October 3, narrowly defeating Trieton businesswoman Beth Gowan 51% to 49%, respectively.

During the primary campaign, King acknowledged his past scandal, for which he was never charged with a crime but was later recalled by the voters in a closely-split recall election in 2010.

King portrayed the scandal as politically-motivated and said there was no merit to the accusations.

But just two weeks after he won the 2018 NAT nomination for governor, a campaign he billed as his "Redemption Comeback," a bombshell investigation by the Trieton Sun newspaper detailed new allegations by two women who said King raped them.

In addition to the two rape accusers, six other women told the Sun King sexually assaulted or harassed them, including "sexting" unwanted sexual images of himself to them.

The first alleged rape reportedly occurred when King was a young lawyer back in 1998, the victim told the Sun. Both were attending a holiday party at a private residence and had been drinking alcohol.

The second is said to have occurred in 2012 at another holiday party. Both the victim and King had consumed alcohol on that occasion as well, the victim says.

The six women who accuse King of groping them and sending explicit photos say those actions happened more recently, starting in 2010 and as recent as last year.

When the article first broke on October 27, King immediately denied the accusations, calling them a "despicable, last-minute attempt to derail my campaign."

In an emergency press conference on October 27, the former governor said he has never raped anyone.

"Absolutely, flat-out, 100 percent, I can tell you I have never raped anyone in my life. Ever. Period."

He admitted to sexting multiple women, and said he may have groped some women on occasion, but insisted the photos were not unwanted and the groping incidents were good-natured jokes, not predatory behavior.

"Yes, I have sent intimate pictures of myself to some of my girlfriends and some women I dated. But never unwanted. In each case, those images were requested or we were dating, so it was not inappropriate," King said. "As for the groping, there were a couple times where I'd had too much to drink and I did grope a woman's butt or brush up against her breast. But it was always just joking around, and not once did any of the women accusing me now express any discomfort or dislike of it or ask me to stop."

After the new allegations broke, the state NAT party held an emergency meeting and unanimously voted to remove King as their candidate. He was replaced by his running mate and former primary rival, Beth Gowan, the founder and CEO of the Pro-Athletica, a sportswear and fitness company.

King complained the state party's leadership committee never asked him about the allegations.

"They never asked me if these allegations were true. They never asked me for my side of the story. They never attempted to verify the veracity of these claims. They just said 'Scott, you need to step aside.' And then they forcibly removed me without any due process," he said.

Forced out as the NAT's nominee, King announced he would continue his campaign as a write-in candidate.

It was too late for him to file to run as an independent, Monomi Secretary of State Krystelle LaSchantz said. But he was not too late to run as a write-in candidate.

The explosive allegations of sexual assault and rape have now upended Monomi's governor's race and turned it into a three-way contest between King, Gowan and Conservative Attorney General Will Huxton.

Normally, a write-in candidate would not be included in a televised debate. But in the most recent polls, King has been polling at around 21% in a three-way match-up, and debate rules allow any candidate who polls at 10% or more to appear in televised debates.

At the November 1 debate in downtown Trieton at the University of Monomi, King again defended himself.

"Remember what they did to me in 2010. They accused me of using prostitutes and stealing money, paying people off. The attorney general investigated and said there's not enough evidence. The feds investigated and said there's not enough evidence. I never committed a crime then, and I didn't commit a crime this time either," King said to the audience.

When asked by Trieton news anchor Kevin Derrington, a debate moderator, why allegations of corruption and womanizing seem to keep popping up in his political career, King interrupted him and said "because I'm a powerful person, because I've been the best damn governor this state has had in the last 20 years, and because Monomians love me and like what I've done. I'm a threat to the establishment. I'm a threat to the Conservatives and I'm a threat to the party elite in the NAT. Both parties fear me and fear my popularity, so they're trying to take me down with these lies that conveniently come up when I'm running for office."

King said he didn't even remember the first woman who accused him of rape. "I don't even know who she is. I don't recognize the name, I saw a picture of her and don't recognize her face. I don't ever recall meeting her, I'm not sure I ever have."

He did recall the second accuser, and admitted the two did have a sexual encounter, but said it was "entirely consensual."

"We did have sex, it was just sort of a spontaneous hook-up at a party, and we both had been drinking, but neither one of us was drunk, it was 100% consensual, and never at any time did she say 'no' or express any reluctance. This was a totally consensual encounter between two consenting adults, and this is the first I'm hearing that it wasn't consensual on her account."

After spending more than ten minutes of the debate defending himself, moderator Kevin Derrington said "we have to move on and give Ms. Gowan and Mr. Huxton time to respond and speak. This is not a campaign media event for you, Mr. King, this is a debate, and all candidates are entitled to equal time."

When asked about the allegations against King, Gowan said she was disappointed and worried.

"I consider Scott a friend. He's done a lot of great things for this state. But we have to take allegations of sexual assault and rape seriously. And just because he's a fellow Nationalist, just because he's a friend, I can't ignore the allegations against him. They need to be investigated fully and fairly. The state NAT had no choice but to remove him from the ticket, given the gravity of the allegations.

"The most important thing right now is for Scott to address this crisis. He needs to step out of the race, discontinue his campaign, and focus on his legal and personal matters right now. It's best for him, best for the victims and best for the people of Monomi. Our state government has been through enough turmoil during his first term as governor. It's not fair to drag Monomians through all this a second time," Gowan said.

Conservative Will Huxton declined to call for King to step down, but said the allegations against him are "very concerning."

"I can tell you, as attorney general, I have prosecuted many, many cases of rape and sexual assault over my career, and I can tell you personally from having spoken with the victims just how traumatic and life-changing something like this can be. We just can't have a governor who treats women like this. We need a governor who respects women, who treats women with dignity, and Scott King, even if he didn't rape these women...the other allegations against him, some of which he's admitted to like sexting women and groping them, those actions alone disqualify him from the governorship."

Much of the debate focused on King's scandal, but moderators eventually moved the conversation to important issues such as transportation, health care, environment, education, and border security.

In his closing statement, King reminded voters that he governed over a strong economy when he first served as governor, and urged voters to vote with the economy in mind.

"They're trying to make this election about sexual assault and the #MeToo movement," King said, pointing to Gowan and Huxton. "But this election should be about jobs and fixing our economy, and making Monomi great again. Our state has floundered under John Densy and the Conservatives. We need to get back on track, and I'm the only candidate on this stage who will fix our economy, bring jobs back here, and get Monomi moving again," he said.

Gowan touted her endorsements from most of the state's largest newspapers, and said she was the only real choice.

"Scott King needs to stand down and deal with his legal issues. Scott, you should end your campaign now, for the sake of our state. And Will Huxton is an extreme partisan who has time and time again pushed a radical conservative agenda. He wants to tighten down on immigrant families. He wants to defund public schools and spend more on charter schools. He wants to cut funding for state programs. He wants to cut funding for green projects. And he wants to cut taxes for the rich. Both of these men up here tonight are wrong for Monomi. I'm the only one up here who has experience in the business world. I know how to create jobs. As a CEO, I've overseen a major Fortune 500 company. I've hired people. I've given out paychecks and balanced budgets. And I will bring my expertise from the private sector to our state government, which needs new leadership desperately," said Gowan.

Huxton laughed at Gowan's comments. "All those things she just accused me of, they're so absurd, I don't know where to begin."

"The bottom line is, you have a choice to make this election. You can vote for a man who admits to groping women and sending nude pictures of himself. Or you can vote for Ms. Gowan, who is a typical Nationalist who wants higher taxes, more environmental restrictions that will harm our construction and housing. She's pushing the radical social agenda of the Nationalist party. She's 100% in agreement with Jim McCaren and Debbie Madronas and all the other radical Nationalist leaders in Mavocke. She takes her orders from them.

"So you can vote for one of these two Nationalists up here, both will raise your taxes and favor immigrants over Monomians. Or you can vote for me. A proven conservative. I will fight for lower taxes. I will put more police on the streets. I will make sure our borders are secure. I will rein in government spending. And I will oppose the national government every time they try to stick their noses in to our state business. I will be a governor Monomians can trust and a governor Monomi can be proud of."

The hour-long debate ended up going more than 90 minutes, and the television station sponsoring the debate continued coverage of the debate despite other programming.

Following the recent developments in the race, Dr. Kerry Rudgley from the Edinough School of Government at Dulkalow University in Damoign is rating the race as "likely Conservative."