Mara Edinough is surging in Trinton governor's race, and that has the Conservative party establishment sweating

ENFOLK, Tri. -- An outspoken and colorful candidate is surging in Trinton's Conservative governor's race, and that has the party's establishment leaders scrambling to coalesce around another candidate.

Mara Edinough, the sister-in-law of current Gov. Marcus Edinough, is running to succeed her brother-in-law as governor.

After two terms as a centrist, fiscally conservative but socially moderate Democratic-Reformist governor, Marcus Edinough is not running for re-election. 

But his sister-in-law is running to replace him.

And unlike her brother-in-law, who is quiet and reserved and sometimes described as aloof, Mara Edinough is outspoken and brash.

She's also running for governor as a Conservative. Her brother-in-law used to be a Conservative but left the party back in 2009, citing the party's drift to social, right-wing extremism.

Mara Edinough, who has never ran for elected office before, is married to Marcus' older brother Andrew. The couple, who are enthusiastic gun owners and hard-line Conservatives, live in Enfolk, a northern suburb of Williamstown.

Mara has a strong presence on social media, where she frequently posts videos of her speaking to right-wing activists and even criticizing her own brother-in-law's policies.

"I love Marcus. We're family. But he's completely wrong on so many issues. He left the Conservative Party, he left the conservative ideals he was raised with by his wonderful parents. And now he's leading our state in a slower left-ward trajectory, but still a left-ward trajectory," said Mara in a video post back in April.

Mara and Andrew's two young-adult sons get in on the action too, often appearing in videos on their mother's social media channels, or tagging her, and vice-versa.

"Our branch of the Edinough family is very conservative. We believe in freedom. We believe in faith. We believe in the right to own a gun. We believe in patriotism and love of country. We believe in law and order. We believe that people should follow their own conscience and not 'follow the science.' We believe in personal and individual liberty. That's what this country used to be about and what it should be about," said Mara in another video posted in early June on her TikTok account.

Mrs. Edinough's candidacy is exciting to hard-line conservative activists, who have largely been side-lined over the years by the party's more moderate establishment.

Her candidacy is worrying for the establishment, however. Her colorful language and frequent swearing on video, her occasional dropping of racial slurs and homophobic language, and her less-educated style make Mrs. Edinough prone to controversy, something party leaders want to avoid.

"Trinton is a liberal state. It's difficult for Conservatives to win here. And if we run a Donald Trump-loving hardliner like Mara Edinough, we will get crushed by the Nationalists," says Stewart Stevens, a Conservative strategist who has worked on several statewide campaigns for the party.

The establishment strongly prefers a more centrist candidate, such as businessman Jim Valoix or former Federal Sen. Kelsey Frascanio.

But the party faithful, especially in rural reaches of the state and the most conservative zip codes, strongly prefer Mara Edinough.

"She speaks her mind. She's not timid and afraid like her brother-in-law. She's not trying to be 'moderate' or move to the 'center' so people will vote for her. She's just telling the truth like it is. And people like that, I like that," said Sylvia Greenley, a Conservative voters from rural Kelleyville County,. when interviewed by The Golden Shore Tribune.

Edinough herself often campaigns against the establishment.

"It's no secret they want me to fail. They don't like that I speak my mind. They don't like that I tell people the truth. They don't like that I'm an outspoken defender of civil liberties and our rights. They [party leaders] want someone who will just go with the flow and do what they're told. And that's not me. I'm an independent woman. I'm a mother. I'm a wife. I'm a concerned Grassadellian who cares about our country and refused to be silent as the left and the Nationalist Party and the media and celebrities and big business and all those people ruin our country," said Edinough.

Her brother-in-law, who is leaving office soon, has said little about Mara's candidacy.

"I have nothing to say except that her views don't represent me," said the governor last week, when accosted by reporters in an empty hallway at the state capitol in Cristo Colonado.

Indeed, Mrs. Edinough and her younger brother-in-law differ vastly on the issues.

Gov. Marcus Edinough was one of the first Trinton politicians to voice his support for same-sex marriage back in the early 2000's. Mara Edinough is still vocally opposed to same-sex marriage, though she has said she has "nothing but respect and love for the LGBT community."

She also has several prominent LGBTQ folks on her campaign staff.

On climate change, Marcus Edinough has devoted millions of dollars to preparing the state for rising sea levels and fighting carbon. Mara Edinough doesn't believe climate change is human-caused, and doesn't want to spend tax-payer money to fight climate change.

On taxes, Marcus Edinough has generally favored lower taxes, but has often compromised with Nationalists and signed tax increases into law. Mara Edinough is fiercely anti-tax.

When it comes to transportation, Marcus Edinough has funded public transport. Mara Edinough wants to expand roads and freeways.

And on crime, Mara Edinough has been harsh in her criticism of the governor. She wants more police, tougher sentences for offenders, and homeless people banished from the streets.

Marcus Edinough has generally supported a strong police presence, but has backed away from mandatory minimum sentencing laws. And on homelessness, Marcus Edinough has compromised with Nationalists to increase beds but also treatment.

"On nearly every issue, Mara Edinough is on the right, common sense side, while her brother-in-law Marcus Edinough is on the loony Nationalists' side," said Williamstown conservative radio talkshow host Mike LePeu.

Quietly, behind the scenes, party leaders are looking to boost Jim Valoix or Kelsey Frascanio.

But on the ground, the Conservative Party's most faithful voters are flocking to Mrs. Edinough. 

Some are also supporting businessman Bob Gillies, but he is older and lacks the flair Mara Edinough exhibits.

"This race is going to come down to the establishment versus the people, and I hope to God the people win," said Mara Edinough, in a recent campaign speech in Banbury County.

Bob Perrins, a surrogate for Jim Valoix, had the opposite view.

"We have to decide as a party if we want someone normal representing us in the fall election, or do we want some crazy, anti-vaxxer, anti-science, anti-everything candidate representing us," said Perrins in an interview with the Tribune.

The Trinton primary election is scheduled for September 3.

Halver ends governor bid, switches to attorney general race, scrambling Trinton's political landscape

TORNBORO, Tri. -- Former Attorney General Troy Halver has ended his gubernatorial bid and has instead set his sights on running for his old position.

Halver made the announcement Monday at a press conference in Tornboro, his hometown and the home base for his campaign.

He will challenge a member of his own party, current Attorney General Damon Garcia-Perrera, for the NAT's nomination. 

The surprise announcement came after new polling numbers showed Halver trailing in the NAT primary for governor.

The polling numbers were not the only reason Halver switched races, he told reporters Monday.

"The polling numbers were part of it. There were eight candidates on the NAT side for governor. And many others who already dropped out. So with that many leading candidates in the race, it has made it difficult for one person to jump out way ahead in front of the others," he said. "But there were other reasons too. For one, I'm good at the job. I used to be attorney general, and I did a kick-ass job. We put a lot of criminals in jail and off the streets. And now, we have some of the highest crime we've ever had in modern memory. We have an attorney general...[who]...even though he's from the same party as me...he's failing our state."

The new poll, conducted by the University of Trinton in conjunction with The Golden Shore Tribune, found Halver in fifth place out of eight candidates on the NAT side. Halver garnered about 13% in the poll.

While fifth place and only 13% are not good numbers, in a race with viable candidates, no candidate has opened a wide lead in the race.

Front-runner Tom Jamber, an assemblyman from Cristo Colonado who was the NAT's nominee for governor back in 2020, had 17.6% in the poll, while former Gov. Mark De Auonne earned 16.4%. State Sen. Colin Costello had 15.8%, and businessman Frank Broussard had 13.9%, respectively.

The three female candidates in the race all polled under 10% -- federal prosecutor Kathy Kemmell polled nine percent, state Sen. Diane Fassetto took eight percent, and state Rep. Christy Lindner with 6.4%, respectively.

"It's clear from these poll numbers that Tom Jamber, Mark De Auonne and Colin Costello are certainly in the lead in this race," said Dr. Phil Lumbar, a political science professor at the University of Trinton. "However, with eight candidates in the race who are all well-known and have money and widespread support, this race is not sewn up by any means. It's still anyone's race at this point. The lead that the leading candidates have is tenuous and can easily be overcome."

Halver agreed, and told reporters he was confident he could still win the NAT's nomination for governor.

"It's tough to win when you're running against so many well-qualified and well-known people. So the governor's race was tough. But I'm confident I could have won the nomination and could have won the whole contest. I've won the nomination in the past and come extremely close to winning the governorship, so I know I can do it. But at this time, we need to take back the attorney general's office from the woke leftists and bring it back under common sense leadership," said Halver.

Although a Nationalist, Halver has frequently butted heads with his fellow Nationalists.

Halver supports climate change legislation, increasing the minimum wage, and better labor conditions. He opposes charter schools and supports a woman's right to abortion, all positions that are widely in the NAT's mainstream.

However, on law and order, Halver is more conservative, and he often sides with the CNS over his own party.

He's supported longer, more severe sentences for violent criminals and repeat offenders, including for low-level crimes and property crimes.

He's called for more police officers on the streets, not less, like many of his NAT colleagues have demanded.

And he wants to build additional prisons to accommodate more prisoners, something that puts him directly at odds with his party, which has advocated for less incarceration and a focus on rehabilitation.

Garcia-Perrera, the current attorney general, has embraced a more left-wing view on crime. He's dropped prosecution for many low-level crimes, and he's largely avoided addressing property crime, except for property crime rings, such as chop shops and other theft rings.

Garcia-Perrera has focused instead on social justice, fighting for LGBTQ Trintonians and suing e-cig and vape manufacturers. He's also taken on corporations that have violated consumers' rights.

The incumbent has made police accountability and exposing police brutality key areas of focus during his tenure.

"We don't need more police on the streets," Garcia-Perrera told reporters last week, in response to criticism from Halver. "We need better accountability and training for the existing officers we already have on the streets. If we just add more untrained and unaccounted for officers to the mix, we're not going to stop crime or fix our communities. We have to have accountability action."

Garcia-Perrera briefly toyed with running for governor this year, but amid the large field of candidates, he opted to run for re-election to the attorney general's seat instead. If he wins this November, he will serve his third consecutive term.

Halver served one term as attorney general, from 2013 - 2017. He ran for governor in 2016, securing the NAT's nomination and placing first in a three-way race with then-Lt. Gov. Marcus Edinough (DR) and Conservative businessman Jim Valoix.

However, none of the three gubernatorial candidates reached the required 40% threshold to win outright, so Halver and Edinough, the top two candidates, advanced to a run-off, where Edinough squeaked out a win.

Halver ran for governor again in 2020, but lost in the NAT primary to Assemblyman Tom Jamber.

Garcia-Perrera has criticized Halver, saying, "the guy is desperate for a title."

Halver disputes that, and says he just wants to make his home state a better place.

"It's not about a title. It's not about an office or my name on a door. It's about fixing our state, getting the criminals and the drug addicts and the homeless people off our streets, and making our state livable again."

As for the Conservatives, no party-backed candidate has not yet filed to run for attorney general. State Conservative leaders are in talks with Halver, and are considering supporting him against Garcia-Perrera.

"Troy Halver is not a Conservative. We'd prefer to have a Conservative candidate, but until and unless one emerges, Troy Halver is a better option than the far-left Damon Garcia-Perrera," said Trinon Conservative Party Vice President Phil Ingram.

Meanwhile, Halver's exit from the NAT's governor's race was not the only departure.

State Sen. Diane Fassetto announced she would end her bid as well, amid negative polling numbers. Fassetto said she will instead run for lieutenant governor, challenging incumbent Lt. Gov. Kathy Lewitt (NAT), who is seeking re-election.

State Rep. Christy Lindner also dropped out of the race, saying she will instead seek an assembly seat.

As for who they'll support moving forward, Halver and Fassetto both threw their support to Frank Broussard, a businessman and labor activist from northwest Williamstown.

Lindner endorsed Colin Costello, who represents southeast Williamstown in the state senate.

The Conservative race for governor is also somewhat fractured, although there are only four candidates running on the CNS side.

Millionaire businessman Jim Valoix currently leads the four-way race, with 28.6%, while activist Mara Edinough, a sister-in-law of current Gov. Marcus Edinough (DR), is in second with 26.1%, respectively.

Former Federal Sen. Kelsey Frascanio is currently standing in third place with 23.8%, and businessman Bob Gillies from Kelleyville trails with 21.5%, respectively.

Valoix has ran for governor three times previously. He won the CNS nomination in both 2012 and 2016, but lost both times, first to Gov. Mark De Auonne (N) and then to Gov. Marcus Edinough (DR).

In 2020, Valoix ran for governor but lost in the CNS primary to Greg Baxter, who went on to lose to Edinough and NAT nominee Tom Jamber.

Many Conservatives have reservations about Valoix's fourth attempt at the governorship. There are serious doubts he can win after failing three times.

However, the millionaire businessman remains popular within the party, and his significant personal fortune has provided him with a wealth of money to tap, making him a competitive candidate.

The Trinton primary election is scheduled for September 3.

Houndsler still leads in Ansleigha, but Baskingwood gaining

KOEURN, Asl. -- First-time candidate Agatha Houndsler is off to a strong start in the Ansleigha governor's race. The art teacher and psychologist continues to lead Conservative Gov. Sam Baskingwood and Independent businesswoman Rosamond Burkes. 

However, Houndsler's lead has slipped slightly, and Baskingwood has made some small gains, according to the latest poll.

The latest poll, conducted by the University of Ansleigha and The Grassadellia City Times, finds Houndsler earning 39.7% and Baskingwood earning 38.2%, while Burkes receives 21.3%, respectively.

Just two months ago, Houndsler led Baskingwood in the polls by almost seven points. That was before the NAT nominee had secured her party's nomination, however. And Houndsler was not well-known by Ansleigha voters at the time.

Since she won her party's nomination last month, Houndsler has come under greater scrutiny from the media and her political rivals. She's also come under attack from both the Baskingwood and Burkes campaigns, who have portrayed Houndsler as a left-wing idealist who prioritizes feel-good social justice gestures over effective policies.

"Agatha Houndsler may be a nice person, but her policies are just flat out crazy," says a narrator in a pro-Baskingwood campaign commercial.

The same commercial hits Houndsler for suggesting rehabilitation and early release for violent criminals in the state's prison system, and for her embrace of transgender-friendly policies in schools and government offices.

"When it comes to protecting Ansleigha's families from violent crime and dangerous predators, Sam Baskingwood is the only candidate who will keep criminals off the street, and keep predators out of our kids' schools and bathrooms," says the narrator.

Burkes has similarly gone after Houndsler, calling her a "culture warrior for the left."

"'Hagatha,' as I call her, is a bleeding heart liberal. She wants to feed all the homeless people and give them free food and shelter. She even wants to give them free drugs and needle exchanges. Because she says that will help them," said Burkes at a campaign rally in the eastern suburbs of Koeurn last week.

The crowd booed at Burkes' comments.

"If you want to fix the homeless situation, if you want to get thugs and drug dealers off the streets, you better vote for me. Because 'Hagatha' won't do it, and 'Sell-Out Sam' won't do it either," said Burkes, referring to Houndsler and Baskingwood, both of whom she has given degrading nicknames.

Houndsler embraces the hippie label her political foes have assigned to her.

"I am a hippie, I won't shy away from that. I am a hippie. I am anti-war. I am pro-human rights. I am pro-women's rights. I am pro-environment. If all of that makes me a hippie, then yes, I am one," she told The Grassadellia City Times as a reporter shadowed her on the campaign trail last week.

Still, it's unclear if Conservatives' usual playbook -- using crime and homelessness to criticize and attack Nationalist politicians -- will work this time around.

Baskingwood has been in office for three-and-a-half years at this point, and any criticism about crime would also imply he has not done enough himself to combat the problem. The same is true of homelessness.

But top Conservatives are hoping their negative ads that cast Houndsler as an extreme left-wing "bleeding heart" will sway voters who value law and order.

"This election is, I think, going to come down less to the economy and more to crime, homelessness, and culture wars. For better or for worse," said Dr. Phil Angelo, a political science professor at Hastings University in Elmhurst. "The question is, which candidate will voters trust on these issues."

Cal Sully holds off Simi Hagley, for now

ASHFORD'S LANDING, Har. -- Moderate NAT Sen. Cal Sully can breathe a temporary sigh of relief.

The incumbent senator, who is known for his independent streak and for frequently bucking his party, narrowly prevailed over his more left-wing opponent, liberal activist and perennial candidate Simi Hagley.

With all precincts reporting, Sully was leading with just shy of 52%, while Hagley had just over 48%, respectively.

It was a tight race for the long-time senator, who routinely faces criticism and backlash from the left-wing of the NAT for his sometimes more conservative voting record.

Sully is staunchly liberal on issues like labor, women's health care, and social welfare programs.

But he often sides with Conservatives on national security and tax issues.

More recently, he has earned scorn from liberal activists for not supporting several of President Jim McCaren's cabinet nominees.

Hagley ran against Sully because, as she told The Ashford Current newspaper, "Harlyne deserves a true liberal senator who will champion progressive values, and not just give them lip service."

Sully defended his record, saying that he votes liberal "90% of the time," and that he often votes against the president because he believes the president's nominees or positions are too conservative.

"I don't side with Conservatives against the president. I vote my conscience. And sometimes my conscience happens to align with Conservatives. But it's not about me teaming up with Conservatives or joining their side," he told a reporter last week on the campaign trail.

"I'm not a Vic Chambers," Sully said, referring to South Ceona Sen. Vic Chambers, who is officially a Nationalist but who votes with Conservatives more often than his own party.

Hagley and the far-left have long tried to eliminate Sully. Hagley ran against him six years ago, in another close contest. 

Sully beat Hagley in the primary, narrowly. However, Hagley switched her political affiliation to "Independent" and continued her campaign, resulting in a three-way race in the general election, where Sully defeated Hagley and Conservative Hal Swenson. Sully won that race with 45.7% to Swenson's 41.7% and Hagley's 10%, respectively.

This year's election is shaping up to be an identical re-run of 2018.

Just like in 2018, Hagley challenged Sully in a close primary election, where he hobbled out a narrow win.

And also just like 2018, Hagley says she will continue to the general election as an Independent candidate, assuming she gets enough signatures and the secretary of state's office certifies her candidacy, both of which are expected to happen.

Hal Swenson is also running for the Conservatives again.

The WHMC Member, who represents far eastern Bourneham County, is known for his hard-line, right-wing views.

Swenson has been critical of Sully for not being Conservative enough. And Swenson's chief criticism this time around is that Sully, as a Nationalist, is enabling Senate Majority Leader Debbie Madronas and more liberal members of Congress, who hold the majority.

"The Nationalists get their power in the Senate by having more NAT senators than Conservative senators. So even if Cal Sully says he's 'independent,' and he says he votes his conscience and bucks his party, the very fact that he is a Nationalist and is on the NAT's team, the fact that he sits in their section of the Senate chamber, the fact that he's apart of their caucus, that means he's enabling and helping Debbie Madronas. He may not vote the way she wants him to, all the time, but he is adding to her majority, and that majority gives her the power," said Swenson in an interview with The Current.

Swenson said he will implore voters, once again, to vote Conservative.

"This isn't even about voting for me, as much as it is about stopping Debbie Madronas. You may not love me, you may not agree with all my policies. But let's stop Debbie Madronas and Paul LeBouse and Deborah Kay and all the other liberal wacky senators from running our country into the ground. We need to deny the Nationalists a majority, and that starts by voting Conservative this fall," said an adamant Swenson.

Sully disputed Swenson's contention, saying, "the voters of Harlyne have a right to pick their senator based on who that person is, not on some national party strategy."

"The people of Harlyne know me. They know how I operate. They know how I vote. They know I vote my conscience. They know I work with Conservatives and Nationalists. They know I have strong values and I stick to those values. I'm confident the voters of Harlyne will vote to retain me in the fall. They would rather have an independent-minded senator who votes their conscience rather than a party automaton who just does whatever the far-right or far-left tells them and pressures them to do," said Sully.

The race is likely to come down to Sully and Swenson, as Hagley has ran for office numerous times over the past two decades. Many voters dismiss her because of her routine runs for office, which have never been successful.

Still, while Hagley may not command enough votes to win, she could siphon enough votes away from Sully, which could theoretically allow Swenson to win with a simple plurality.

"It's in the realm of possibility," Swenson told the NPF. "We are approaching this race as if we can win. I wouldn't be running if I thought this was a waste of time. I believe I can win, my supporters believe that. We're running alongside Tom Marelo for governor. The voters of Harlyne will finally have a solid choice for a true conservative for governor and for senator. This could be the year that Conservatives rise from the ashes in Harlyne and rightfully claim their place of authority," said Swenson.

Though not as experienced on the ballot as Hagley, Swenson has also run for office multiple times, and has never won statewide office. An outspoken Evangelical Christian, Swenson is known for his conservative fiscal policies, his ultra-conservative views on social issues, and his frequent references to the Bible and end times.

Despite his unsuccessful record at statewide office, Swenson has managed to hold on to his WHMC seat in eastern Bourneham County for years. He has a strong base of support in the mostly suburban and rural district he represents.

Sully has been endorsed by Gov. Kate Morelda, as well as a slew of local NAT mayors, county commissioners, and other leaders.

Notably, he has not received an endorsement from fellow NAT Senator Lei Chan, who was appointed to the Senate by Morelda back in February. Chan, who is decidedly more liberal than Sully, has not endorsed Hagley, with a spokesman for Chan's office saying the newly-appointed senator has not been focused on the race and will not get involved in the race in the near future.

Celebration turns to worry for Morelda campaign in wake of Marelo primary win

ASHFORD'S LANDING, Har. -- Advisors and surrogates of Harlyne Gov. Kate Morelda (N) were initially jubilant when it was confirmed Conservative hard-liner Tom Marelo won the state's CNS primary for governor.

Marelo is, by Harlyne standards, a bit of an extremist. He's anti-abortion. He supports low taxes and making cuts to the state's budget. He is staunchly opposed to electric vehicles. And wants to prohibit transgender children from using their preferred pronouns in schools.

So the Morelda camp was quite excited to hear Marelo prevailed over a more mainstream, moderate candidate in last week's CNS primary election.

Morelda already easily beat Marelo back in 2020, and will likely do it again this year, Morelda supporters figured. He should be easier to beat than the moderate Frank Kerenbury, who was the favored CNS candidate, who also enjoyed the CNS party leadership's support.

However, while Marelo may have squeezed out a narrow win over Kerenbury, and while Marelo may have been easily held back in 2020, he may not be as easily defeated this fall in the general election.

A new poll released Friday finds Marelo trailing Morelda by a measly three points. Morelda leads with 51% to Marelo's 48%, respectively.

Those numbers are far from a slam dunk for Morelda. And those concerningly close poll numbers turned the joyous mood at Morelda campaign headquarters into a mood of panic and fear.

"When we first found out Tom Marelo won, we were ecstatic," said Jay Bukes, a senior advisor to Morelda. "But we have seen the poll numbers, and we know that this race is actually very close."

"We still believe Tom Marelo is the easier candidate to beat. He's an extremist who is out of step and out of touch with the values of Harlynians. And we will point that out every chance we get during this campaign. However, we're not taking anything for granted. We're not going to be presumptive or complacent. We know we have to work hard to convince Harlynians to re-elect Governor Morelda," said Bukes.

The Marelo campaign, unsurprisingly, is touting the latest poll numbers.

"This latest poll confirms what we already knew and what we have been saying for months, but the liberal, elite media and establishment have refused to listen. Tom Marelo is very much a contender in this governor's race. He and Kate Morelda are essentially tied for the lead. This race could go either way. It's a toss-up. Kate Morelda and her liberal cronies have arrogantly dismissed Tom Marelo as having no chance of winning, but these poll numbers show their arrogance will be their downfall," said Robert Strange, a close advisor to Marelo.

Harlyne is a liberal-leaning state, although moderate Conservatives, such as former governor and current senator George Garesby, Sen. Bourret Magiscanti, and Secretary of State Jan Scianden have won statewide elections.

Former Attorney General Julio Emaria, who is more conservative, has also won two terms in the state's top law-enforcement job.

On the whole, however, Nationalists dominate, particularly in the heavily-populated western half of the state, where almost two-thirds of the state's population resides.

One thing is clear after last week's poll. The Nationalist Party cannot dismiss Tom Marelo. And the Conservative Party may want to invest more money in the race than they originally planned.

"We are very much in this to win this. I wouldn't be running if I thought I had no chance of winning. The poll numbers are showing that we are on the cusp of something big. We are in striking distance. And that should make Kate Morelda and her left-wing cronies in Ashford's Landing think twice before they implement their latest, loony policies," a defiant Marelo told reporters Friday at a campaign stop in northern Adams County.

The Morelda campaign responded with skepticism.

"I've ran against Tom Marelo before. I know how he operates. He's cocky. He's very sure of himself. We heard this last time too, that he was going to win and his support was under-reported. But we ended up winning by five points. I know the state of Harlyne. I know the values Harlynians believe in. And I know Tom Marelo does not match up with those values. So I am confident the voters will send me back to Clevey Springs this fall," said Morelda Friday afternoon at a dinner reception in south Ashford's Landing.

In terms of money, Morelda has a significant advantage. She has raised $6.1 million so far for her campaign, and has $4.7 million in cash-on-hand. 

Marelo has raised $1.4 million for his campaign, and has also donated an additional $1.6 million of his own money. He has just $998,000 in cash-on-hand.

Marelo pulls off upset in knife-edge Harlyne CNS primary election

GOLDCHRIS, Har. -- Defying all expectations, hard-line Conservative gubernatorial candidate and businessman Tom Marelo won a major upset against an establishment Conservative opponent.

Originally, five CNS candidates were vying for the Conservative party's nomination. One, H-Tel CEO Rich Tuller, dropped out and filed to run for lieutenant governor instead.

Former Attorney General Julia Giorchani and current Assemblyman Steve Frenitch both dropped out just days before the primary election.

Frenitch opted to run for attorney general instead, while Giorchani did not give a reason for her departure from the race and didn't file to run for another office.

That left Marelo and Assemblyman Frank Kerenbury, the establishment-backed and favorite candidate of party leadership.

Kerenbury is decidedly more moderate than Marelo, with the former embracing bipartisanship and moderate positions on social issues.

Marelo is considerably more conservative on fiscal and social policies, and has ruthlessly attacked Nationalists politicians.

The outspoken millionaire businessman, who is a staunch Evangelical Christian, has received strong support from his home base in Adams County, the state's most conservative county. 

Marelo's support has spread beyond Adams County, though, including to all of eastern Harlyne and even to the heavily-populated western half of the state.

Indeed, it was an unexpected wellspring of support for Marelo in Scandinaugh County, the state's second-most-populous, that helped pushed Marelo past the finish line.

Kerenbury, who hails from Scandinaugh County, ended up losing his home county narrowly, with Marelo enjoying a strong lead among working-class and blue-collar voters.

Kerenbury received more support from elderly and higher-educated voters.

In the end, the race was exceedingly close. Kerenbury led by a sliver of the vote in the first count. But as additional overseas and military ballots trickled in, Marelo pulled ahead. 

However, his win was exceedingly marginal, beating Kerenbury by less than 2,000 votes out of more than 240,000 votes cast.

A win for Marelo is a victory for hard-line and right-wing Conservatives, and a blow to party leadership, who tried to clear a path for Kerenbury.

Party elders are concerned about Marelo's nomination primarily because they believe he is too conservative to win in the fall election.

"Harlyne is a liberal state. We are a left-leaning state. We can't win with a right-wing candidate here," Josh Jarvis, a Conservative political consultant from Harlyne, told the NPF.

Additionally, Marelo previously ran unsuccessfully for governor back in 2020, losing to NAT Gov. Kate Morelda by a 52%-46% margin.

"How is this year going to be any different than 2020 when Tom Marelo lost back then? I'm not convinced he can beat Kate Morelda," Jarvis added.

Marelo brushes off concerns about electability.

"We came fairly close to winning last time around. And now voters have had almost four years of Kate Morelda's 'leadership.' People are hungry for change. They're yearning for common sense policies. They're tired of seeing homeless people on every street corner. They're tired of 'catch and release' policies with criminals who commit crimes. People are tired of being taxed out of their cars and their homes. The climate and the mood are very different this time around, and we intend to capitalize on that," Marelo told The Harlyne Sun newspaper in a sit-down interview yesterday.

Perhaps a challenge equally as daunting as defeating Kate Morelda in the fall will be the process of healing intra-party rifts between the pro-Marelo and pro-Kerenbury factions of the CNS, something Marelo acknowledged.

"I know this was a tough-fought primary election. I know Assemblyman Kerenbury is a good person and has served our state for many years. I appreciate his service and his ideas. And I hope he partners with me to win in November," said Marelo.

Kerenbury briefly toyed with changing his party registration to "Independent," which would allow him to continue his campaign for governor as an Independent candidate.

However, polls on a hypothetical Morelda-Marelo-Kerenbury, three-way race showed Morelda leading overwhelmingly, with Conservatives splitting the vote.

The adverse poll numbers convinced Kerenbury to accept defeat. He subsequently endorsed Marelo.

"It is disappointing to being standing here not as a winner but conceding to another candidate. That's not the outcome we hoped for, it's not the outcome I hoped for. But the voters have spoken, and they, ever so narrowly, chose Tom Marelo's vision for our state over my vision. And I have to respect that," Kerenbury told a local TV station Friday in Harlynee.

"This [defeat] doesn't change my fidelity to the party. I am still a loyal Conservative. I still support the party and still want our party to win in November. I will be supporting Tom Marelo in the fall. We need a change, we need new leadership in Clevey Springs. So this contested primary election doesn't change that."

Despite Marelo's endorsement, concerns persist among the Conservative party's leadership. Many fear moderate Conservative voters, who have long been the backbone of the party, may either switch their votes to Morelda in the fall election, or they may abstain and not vote at all. Either scenario would hurt Marelo's chances of taking the governorship.

Still, others point to Marelo's surprising win, and an upsurge in support he received in Scandinaugh, Herell, Bourneham and Saoca counties. They also look to states like Ansleigha, where Conservatives swept statewide elections back in 2020 in a surprising upset result.

"Who's to say Harlyne won't be the next Ansleigha," said Rick Thornton, deputy campaign manager for the Marelo campaign. "Some of the best results for Conservatives are coming out of NAT-leaning states."

Indeed, polls show Marelo either tied with or narrowly trailing Morelda in a fall match-up.

"This race is going to be much closer than national pundits and so-called 'experts' say it will be," said Marelo.

The Morelda campaign is taking anything for granted, said Vanessa Kemp, spokesperson for the Morelda campaign.

"Gov. Morelda will continue to outline and share her vision for Harlyne with the voters. Gov. Morelda believes her pro-climate, pro-environment, pro-family, pro-women and pro-civil rights policies will resonate with Harlynians. Her positions are in stark contrast to the radical anti-woman, anti-abortion, anti-climate policies of Tom Marelo. And Gov. Morelda looks forward to election day, so Harlynians can decide for themselves what direction they want our state to go for the next four years," said Kemp.

***Election Results -- Harlyne Conservative Primary for Governor -- Unofficial Results***

Candidates:	Votes:	Percent:	Counties Won:
Tom Marelo	122,203	50.75%	6
Frank Kerenbury	118,578	49.25%	5
	Total Votes:
	240,781
	Turnout:
	17.70%

Scott King says Nationalist Party must fight harder for middle class voters

TRIETON, Mon. -- As one of the most controversial governors in Grassadellia, Monomi Gov. Scott King is heavily scrutinized and criticized by his critics. 

His latest advice for his fellow Nationalists is falling on deaf ears, he says.

In an exclusive interview with the STAR Network, King told correspondent Keely Underwood that the Nationalist Party has become too focused on rich celebrities instead of middle class voters.

"Our party tends to value rich, liberal celebrities much more than middle class Grassadellians, and that's a mistake," said King.

For years, the party has placed an emphasis on fighting for low-income and poor Grassadellians, "which is great," said King. 

"But we've largely ignored the middle class," King told Underwood. "We've basically surrendered and ceded the middle class to the Conservative Party, and that's a big mistake. It's a big reason why we have lost elections. It's a big reason why so many rural and suburban voters are turned off by the Nationalist Party and our party's agenda," he said.

He pointed to many close elections in recent years, including in Kalnier's governor's race in 2022, where liberal incumbent Gov. Nick Hall performed excellently in inner-Lamberth, but flopped in the suburbs.

"Hall's agenda was exclusively focused on low-income and urban voters," said King. "[Hall] didn't even fight for suburban voters. He basically surrendered them to Tony Ritonio."

The same could be said in Veroche's 2020 governor's race, where Conservative Mac Griffin ousted NAT Gov. Tom Harper.

"Again, we saw a similar pattern. The NAT candidate does well in inner-Lanakis and urban areas. But the suburbs are largely forgotten and ignored, which allowed Mac Griffin to dominate in those areas," said King.

Not all Nationalists agree with King's assessment.

"That's bullshit," Hall told GNN, when asked for a response.

"I never ignored the suburbs. I fought for every vote I got, including people in the suburban areas. Scott King doesn't know what he's talking about," said a defiant Hall.

Hall did concede the middle class turned against him in the 2022 election, but he said it wasn't for a lack of trying.

"I think people were frustrated with inflation, which was, to a large extent, out of my control. And I think people saw issues like homeless people and education as issues that needed to be resolved. And we were working to resolve those issues, but we didn't have them resolved in time for the election. So in that aspect, yes, the election loss to Tony Ritonio was my fault. But it wasn't for a lack of focus or caring about the middle class. Our campaign cared about every voter, and as governor, I fought for every Kalnieran, no matter what their socio-economic status was."

King attributed his 2022 election win, in part, to focusing on middle class and rural voters "who have been ignored and maligned by the NAT party establishment."

"These voters were angry. They were ticked. They were pissed off at having been ignored and treated like shit by Nationalist Party leaders," said King. "They didn't want to vote for Will Huxton, but they didn't want to vote for an arrogant Nationalist politician who only cares about downtown Trieton or inner-city Skyllings. Voters want to vote for a politician who they feel cares about them. And all over the campaign trail, I had people coming up to me saying, 'You know Scott, I have never voted for a Nationalist before. But I will vote for you, because you understand me, you try to understand what's important to me, and that's something no politician has ever done before.'"

King said he has met with Nationalist Party leaders, both in Monomi and at the national level, and he is urging his fellow NAT governors to "make an effort" to "meet middle class voters where they are."

"As a party, we tend to only focus on the inner-city and the urban areas. On the college towns. On the liberal retirement communities with highly-educated voters. We need to change that. We need to focus on the rural communities. We need to focus on the Conservative-leaning areas. We need to compete for voters across the whole country, not just in the urban enclaves," said King.

Hardline Conservatives put aside differences, come together to support Mercer Diego for Damoign governor

GREENEWOOD, Dmg. -- He said he'd never drop out of the race for governor.

But libertarian radio talk show host and Conservative candidate for governor Rob McCann did just that last Monday in a surprise announcement.

McCann was among seven candidates who were seeking the Conservative nomination for governor.

Though he had little support, he soldiered on in the campaign, vowing to stay in until the end.

However, last week, McCann changed his mind, he told his national radio audience from his suburban Grassadellia City home and studio.

"I was going to stay in the race until the bitter end. But I realized, if I stay in the race, that's only going to help the moderates win. The moderate party leaders want George Velmar or Pat Leemore to win, and me staying in the race will only help one of those two get elected. And George Velmar and Pat Leemore are not true Conservatives," said McCann.

"[Velmar and Leemore] belong to the Conservative party. They have a 'C' after their names. But they are moderates. They are Conservative-lites. Faux-Conservatives. Whatever you want to call them. They don't believe in true liberty and freedom from government like you and I do," McCann told his audience.

The only candidate left in the race who will truly stand for conservative values, McCann said, is former lieutenant governor and twice-unsuccessful gubernatorial nominee Mercer Diego.

"Now I disagree on a lot of issues with Mercer Diego. I do not agree with him on many things. But, I do agree with him on some important things. Things like property rights, gun rights, low taxes, less government spending, less bureaucracy, fighting the 'climate change' hoax, etc. George Velmar and Pat Leemore don't care about these things. They will fall right in line with what the media and the Nationalists want them to do," said McCann.

"Mercer Diego is the only candidate left in the race who will fight for the conservative values that people like you and me hold dear and know to be true," said McCann. "So that's why I dropped out of the race. I want to support Mercer and help him win the nomination. And I'm urging all my supporters and people who voted for other Conservative candidates. If you truly believe in freedom and liberty, the only candidate you can really support is Mercer Diego."

The former lieutenant governor is locked in a tight three-way race for governor with billionaire businessman George Velmar of Larche and current Lt. Gov. Pat Leemore of Bragdon.

The other four Conservative candidates have all dropped out of the race.

McCann and West Lake businessman Rick Tesario have both endorsed Diego, while former Federal Treasury official Kim Camden has endorsed Leemore.

Lawyer and businessman John Barian has not endorsed anyone yet, although he's expressed support for all of the three remaining candidates.

At the moment, Leemore leads in the primary contest. She has won small, local-level elections in 17 of Damoign's 43 counties, and leads the vote tally with 28% of the votes that have been cast.

Velmar is close behind, having won 25.6% of the votes cast, although he has only won four counties.

Diego is in third place, with 24.7% of votes cast so far. He has won eight counties.

It's unclear just how many votes are left in the contest, since the remaining 14 counties have not cast ballots yet.

However, there are still a few heavily-populated counties left to take part in the primary voting contest, including Sexton, New Upton, Reever, Riverton, Pickering, Percival, West Lake, Quindulson and Gentry counties.

A strong showing by either Velmar or Diego in any of those counties could change the rankings and vote tallies significantly, making the race's outcome far from certain.

Already, battle lines are being drawn, as the more hardline Conservative politicians are coalescing around Diego, while the more moderate Conservatives are backing Leemore or Velmar.

Mr. Velmar, who is often compared to former US President Donald Trump, finds support from both the moderate and right-wing factions of the party. His supporters say he is the only candidate left in the race who can bring both the moderate and far-right wings of the party together in the fall election.

If none of the candidates get a majority of the vote, which is likely to be the case, the top two will advance to a run-off election.

Whoever wins the run-off will go on to face NAT Gov. Jenna Duvan in the fall election.

Duvan is seeking an historic and unprecedented third consecutive term in November.

No major third-party or independent candidates have filed to run, making November's contest a head-to-head match-up between Duvan and the eventual Conservative nominee.

For the first time in state history, gubernatorial nominees will run on a ticket with running mates.

Previously, in Damoign, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor ran separately in separate races. The 2024 election will be the first in which candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run together as one joint ticket.

Julia Giorchani, Steve Frenitch drop gubernatorial bids in Harlyne

FLAG HARBOR, Har. -- The Harlyne governor's race has become a smaller contest.

Conservative candidates Julia Giorchani and Steve Frenitch both announced Friday they are leaving the race.

In an outdoors press conference in downtown Flag Harbor, Giorchani gave little explanation for her exit from the race, only saying "now is not my time."

The former attorney general did not cite family, health or any other reason for departing the race. When asked if she was doubtful she could win, she emphatically said 'no.'

"I'm 100 percent confident we can win this race. That has nothing to do with why I'm stepping out of the race. It's just not my time," she said.

She declined to elaborate when asked by reporters.

Instead, Giorchani will throw her support to former assemblyman Frank Kerenbury, who is the front-runner in the race to challenge incumbent NAT Gov. Kate Morelda.

"Frank is a committed public servant. He has served the people of Scandinaugh County faithfully for years. He is a leader who puts bipartisanship ahead of his own interests or that of his own party. He will be the kind of governor we need," Giorchani said, adding that Kerenbury will govern in a style similar to that of former Gov. George Garesby (C).

Giorchani said she respects businessman Tom Marelo, who is still in the race. But ultimately, Kerenbury "is the best candidate to defeat Kate Morelda," said Giorchani.

Right after her announcement, Frenitch announced he too is dropping out of the governor's race.

Frenitch, however, will instead seek the state Attorney General post.

"I fully believe I could win the race for governor," Frenitch told reporters at a press conference in Goldchrist.

"But we already have two good candidates for governor. Our party has no good candidates for attorney general. We need someone good in that position. And that position would allow me to stay here in Harlyne and not be in Mavocke, so it's a better fit for me," he said.

Unlike Giorchani, though, Frenitch is endorsing Marelo.

"Tom Marelo is more conservative than Frank Kerenbury. Tom is a businessman. He knows how to run government like a business. He understands property rights. He understands government overreach. He understands the disparities and inequalities between western and eastern Harlyne. And for those reasons and more, I am supporting Tom Marelo for governor," said Frenitch.

Marelo was the party's nominee for governor in 2020. He lost to Morelda by a margin of 46% - 52%, respectively.

Marelo has declined to drop out of the race, despite pressure from party leaders, who view Kerenbury as the more viable and electable candidate.

"I am in this race to win this race," Marelo told reporters on Wednesday at a campaign stop in Harlynee. "I refuse to cave into pressure from party bosses in Mavocke who have no idea what life is like here in Harlyne and what people in Harlyne want."

Kerenbury has not called on Marelo to drop out directly, telling reporters last week he "welcomed" a primary contest.

But top Conservatives have expressed doubts about Marelo's ability to beat Morelda.

"Tom already lost once to Kate Morelda. It wasn't a blowout, but it wasn't exactly close. I haven't seen any evidence that Tom is going to beat Kate Morelda this time around," said former gubernatorial candidate and current lieutenant governor candidate Rich Tuller (C).

Polls show no matter who wins the June 18 primary election, both Conservative candidates will have a challenge to defeat Morelda.

A former attorney general, Morelda is popular among liberals and progressives for her pro-climate policies. 

Morelda has struggled with public opinion, however, especially over issues like cost-of-living, homelessness and crime.

"Harlyne is more dangerous and far poorer today than it was just three years ago when Governor George Garesby was in office," said state Conservative party chairman Jim Deneg. "The people of Harlyne deserve a governor who actually has a plan to bring down inflation, who respects property rights, who wants less taxes, and who will put more cops on the streets and prosecute criminals for all crimes."

The Morelda campaign hit back, saying "Harlynians appreciate Gov. Morelda's sensible climate policies."

"Under Kate Morelda, we have a healthier environment. We have cleaner air. We have cleaner water. We have cleaner coastlines. We've reduced garbage and refuse and increased recycling. And we've freed our justice system from frivolous prosecutions. Instead of criminalizing houselessness, we've given people who are experiencing houselessness more options and connected them to social services," said Jared Walsh, a campaign spokesman.

Polls show Morelda and Kerenbury essentially tied in head-to-head match-ups. The most recent poll from The Harlyne Sun newspaper found Kerenbury narrowly leading, 50% - 49%, respectively.

Against Marelo, Morelda polls at 52% to Marelo's 47%, respectively.

Houndsler picks young African-Grassadellian woman as running mate

KOEURN, Asl. -- In a historic first, Nationalist gubernatorial candidate Agatha Houndsler has selected an African-Grassadellian woman to be her running mate in the upcoming election.

Houndsler, 66, announced that state Rep. Amanda Grimes, 29, will be her running mate.

Grimes is African-Grassadellian. Her mother emigrated from France, while her father's family is from Kenya, though her father did live in the United Kingdom for decades. Grimes herself was born in Grassadellia and has lived exclusively in Grassadellia, except for a semester abroad in Kenya during her undergraduate years.

Houndsler previously promised she would choose a minority woman to be her running mate.

"Today, I am making good on my promise to pick a qualified, exceptional, minority woman to be my running mate," she said, in a press conference in downtown Koeurn, at Chorus Square.

"Amanda Grimes is young, but she is exceptional. She has vision, she has a youthful perspective, and she has grit. She knows what it's like to struggle. She knows what it's like to come from a disadvantaged background. She knows what it's like to face barriers. And she knows what it's like to overcome those barriers," said Houndsler.

Grimes' selection is historic for a few reasons. First, there has never been an all female-led campaign for governor in Ansleigha history.

State House Speaker Becky Grael previously ran for governor back in 2020, but she chose a man, businessman Russ Hawley, as her running mate.

Grimes is also an unusual choice simply because of her age.

Typically, candidates for lieutenant governor are older. If elected, she would be the youngest lieutenant governor in Ansleigha history.

While she is young, she is old enough to serve in the lieutenant governorship. The state constitution only mandates a candidate be 18 years old.

As a state representative from inner-city Koeurn, Grimes represents one of the most reliably NAT-leaning districts in the state legislature.

First elected in 2020, she has championed social services, state assistance, free community college, and other social safety nets for low-income Ansleighans.

She has also been vocal in speaking out against workplace and legal discrimination against minorities, including discrimination by law enforcement.

"Amanda is the perfect partner to work with me to get Ansleigha working for everyone. It's been a white men's club for far too long in this state. We are going to turn things upside down when we are elected in November," said a smiling Houndsler, to cheers.

Grimes' selection is not without controversy.

Conservatives immediately seized on her selection, but not only because of her young age.

"Not only is Ms. Grimes not qualified because of her youth and relative inexperience, what's worse is that Agatha Houndsler basically chose her, mainly, because of her race," said state Conservative Party Chairman Curtis Roos.

"Agatha Houndsler said back in January that she would pick a minority woman. For Agatha Houndsler, being a minority and a woman were the main requirements for the job. The main criteria and check boxes to check off. That's frightening that she would select someone simply because of their race or gender. It makes you wonder who she will appoint as governor if she wins," said Roos in an interview with the STAR Network.

The Houndsler campaign hit back, saying Grimes was not chosen "simply because of her race or gender."

"Amanda Grimes was selected because she is highly-qualified, she has a unique life experience, she has proven leadership skills, and she brings a fresh perspective to the campaign," said Houndsler campaign spokeswoman Alice Gunderson.

As for Grimes' reaction, she spoke at the press conference, with Houndsler standing next to her.

"I am tremendously honored and humbled to be chosen as Agatha Houndsler's running mate," Grimes said. "Thank you so much, Agatha. I can't wait to get out on the campaign trail and share our vision of a fairer, more equal Ansleigha with all the people of this state."

While her selection is historic, Grimes is not the first African-Grassadellian to hold a prominent role in Ansleigha politics.

Joseph "Bell" Green was chosen by Rosamond Burkes to be Burkes' running mate back in the 2020 election.

Green, a businessman from Danaecke, is running with Burkes again this year.

Houndsler and Grimes will go on to face Sam Baskingwood and his Lt. Gov., Nick Winsich, in the fall election.

They'll also face Burkes and Green in what will likely be a close three-way race for governor.

Agatha Houndsler squeaks out a win in Ansleigha's NAT gubernatorial primary

DANAECKE, Asl. -- After days of waiting and two recounts of the ballots, artist and psychology professor Agatha Houndsler has narrowly prevailed in Ansleigha's NAT gubernatorial primary.

Houndsler's opponent, state Sen. Paul Biddington (N-Churchtown) officially conceded Thursday afternoon.

The first count of the ballots found Biddington with a narrow lead of about 2,000 votes out of almost 1 million cast.

A recount put Houndsler narrowly ahead by about 5,500 votes.

A second, hand recount found Houndsler's lead changed only by a few votes.

The third count prompted Biddington to concede.

"It's clear the votes are trending in Agatha's favor. Rather than engage in legal battles and demanding more recounts, I've decided to concede the race to her. I wish her well," said Biddington at a Thursday afternoon press conference in Churchtown.

The two left-wing candidates had engaged in a tough battle that originally included three other candidates, who all subsequently ended their campaigns. 

Largely in agreement on major policy issues, the two candidates mostly differed in tone.

Biddington was largely criticized for being negative and his doomsday outlook, while Houndsler was notedly more optimistic and forward-thinking.

"The biggest difference between Paul and I is tone. I'm more positive, I'm more optimistic, more of a glass-half-full type person. Paul is the opposite. He's very negative, he's very dour," said Houndsler, back in April.

"I think Ansleighans want a governor who is optimistic and future-minded and excited about the future, not despairing and depressing," she added.

Both candidates went after incumbent Gov. Sam Baskingwood (C) for his tax policies, his crackdown on homeless people, and his insistence that welfare recipients either work or volunteer in order to receive state benefits.

"Sam Baskingwood is not a compassionate person," said Houndsler. "He doesn't care about people who are in need or people who are struggling. He doesn't care about immigrants, he doesn't care about houseless people, he doesn't care about the disabled and people who are unemployed. His mindset is all about helping other wealthy, Conservative, white men like himself."

Biddington offered similar sentiments on Baskingwood.

"Sam Baskingwood is a wealthy corporation's best friend," said Biddington. "And he's the working-class man's worst enemy."

The Baskingwood campaign, expectedly, disputed that characterization.

Jared Wemple, a deputy campaign press secretary, told GNN that under Baskingwood's leadership, "crime is down, homelessness is down, there are less drugs and perverts on the streets, our businesses have less hoops to jump through and have less taxes to pay, and our government is more efficient and responsive."

The Baskingwood campaign also went after Houndsler, calling her "a radical extremist who wants to teach little kids about transgenderism and wants to provide free drug injection sites for heroin and fentanyl users."

'Dangerous' is a word that both the Baskingwood and Houndsler campaigns use to describe their opponent.

"I don't think Ansleigha can afford four more years of Sam Baskingwood and the radical, Conservative agenda," said Houndsler. "How many women will have their bodily autonomy taken away, how many trans people will be discriminated against and threatened, how many elderly people will lose their state assistance, all because Conservatives want to make life harder for marginalized people," Houndsler said in an interview with The Ansleighan newspaper.

Polls show the coming three-way race between Baskingwood, Houndsler and Indepdenent candidate Rosamond Burkes is likely to be close.

Both parties are determined to win what is shaping up to be an exceedingly close race.

Upon her victory in the NAT primary, Houndsler was immediately endorsed by a host of prominent Nationalists and NAT-leaning groups, including POG Gov. Ramon Ramos, who chairs the Nationalist Governors Association (NATGA) and Emily's List, a pro-choice organization that backs women who champion abortion rights.

Houndsler was also endorsed by her predecessors: former NAT gubernatorial nominees Elliott Androlov, Mark Haller and Becky Grael.

Her most notable endorsement came from her former rival, however. 

Paul Biddington went on camera to endorse Houndsler.

"While Agatha and I had a difficult campaign, and I'm disappointed I lost this contest, what worries me even more is four more years of Sam Baskingwood. Agatha is a much better alternative to Sam Baskingwood. So I will happily cast my vote for her and encourage everyone else to vote for Agatha in November," said Biddington.

The Baskingwood campaign also responded to Houndsler's win, with the governor saying in a statement that he was "looking forward to meeting and debating Ms. Houndsler."

The governor also pledged a respectful campaign.

"Agatha Houndsler may be a radical, left-wing, extremist candidate. And she might have some far-out ideas that are out of the mainstream," he told a local TV news station in Koeurn. "But she is a nice person, and she is a major party's candidate for public office, and I think that entitles her to a fair, civil campaign with no personal attacks. So I'm pledging right now to run a clean campaign filled with decency and mutual respect."

If she wins in November, Houndsler will become not only the first woman governor of Ansleigha, but also the first Nationalist governor. The NAT has never held the governorship since statehood.

Houndsler would also become the first governor to come from the eastern side of the state, which is less-populated.

Ansleigha NAT Gubernatorial Primary
Agatha Houndsler	50.24%	499,366
Paul Biddington	49.76%	494,601
		993,968

Kim Camden drops gubernatorial bid

DAINTREE, Dmg. -- Former federal Treasury department official Kim Camden has dropped her bid for governor.

The Conservative candidate, who lives in the northwestern suburbs of Grassadellia City, remained in a stubborn fifth place out of seven candidates, Wednesday night, after the third round of local elections.

"It's clear to me, after three rounds of voting now, that this race is really a three-person race between Lt. Gov. Pat Leemore, Mr. [George] Velmar, and former Lt. Gov. Mercer Diego," Camden said, at a press conference in Daintree, Wednesday evening.

"We always knew this would be an uphill climb, but I was hopeful that once voters got to know me more, our polling numbers and vote totals would increase. That hasn't materialized, and I'm not optimistic that it will materialize," she said.

This is Camden's second attempt at the governorship. She previously ran unsuccessfully in 2020, getting only a handful of the vote percentages.

She blamed a lack of name recognition and the "big three" candidates for "taking up all the oxygen in the room" in the race.

"It's hard to compete when you're a little guy and you're up against three behemoth opponents," Camden said, referring to Leemore, Velmar and Diego, the three frontrunners.

Despite her lack of success, Camden said she is not bitter, and she is focused on seeking an Assembly seat instead. 

"I am happy to announce that, while my campaign for governor is coming to an end, I will be seeking a seat in the National Assembly in the fall election. I am eager to serve and represent my community here in northwest Damoign. We need a strong member of Assembly who will stand up for common sense, middle class values," she said.

In response to her withdrawal from the governor's race, Lt. Gov. Pat Leemore thanked Camden for "being a shining example of class" and "showing young girls that when women stick together and work together in good faith, anything can happen."

"I'm grateful to Kim for her kindness, for her positive disposition on the campaign trail, and for her commitment to her community," said Leemore, who wished Camden well.

The campaigns of George Velmar and Mercer Diego did not comment on Camden's announcement.

Her withdrawal leaves six candidates in the CNS race for governor, and just one woman, Pat Leemore.

Camden did not endorse any of her opponents. She said she will continue to follow the race closely and will make a decision on whom to endorse at a later date.

Presently, Leemore is leading the CNS primary race for governor with 23% of the votes cast so far. George Velmar is close behind with 22.6%, while Mercer Diego is in third place with 20.2%, respectively.

Businessman John Barian has remained in fourth place throughout the race, currently holding 14.6%, while libertarian businessmen Rob McCann and Rick Tesario trail significantly with 7.9% and 2.6%, respectively.

Barian, McCann and Tesario have resisted calls to drop out.

Yesterday, Barian disputed a reporter's insinuation that the race is a three-way contest. "This is a four-way race," he corrected the reporter, during a news conference.

McCann and Tesario both said they will stay in the race until the last county has voted, even if there is no clear path to victory.

"Damoignites deserve a choice. It's not fair to the voters who vote later in the calendar that they should have less choices than the voters who vote at the beginning of the calendar. So I'm in this race until the end," said McCann on his daily radio show, based out of Gregorson.

The eventual winner of Damoign's county-level CNS primary elections will go on to the fall election to face NAT Gov. Jenna Duvan, who is seeking an historic and unprecedented third term.

Duvan permanently appoints Peter Caruso as Rod Penora's successor

GRASSADELLIA CITY -- Damoign Gov. Jenna Duvan (N) has permanently appointed Peter Caruso as Damoign's next attorney general.

Duvan previously appointed Caruso, a former local prosecutor, to the AG post last year, when former Attorney General and Governor Rod Penora stepped down due to corruption charges.

Caruso, 46, had been serving in an interim position until now. His permanent appointment today means he will serve out the remainder of Penora's term, which expires in January 2025.

"There's a reason I appointed Peter Caruso last year to the attorney generalship," Duvan said at a press conference in Middleboro today.

"Peter is principled, he is knowledgeable, he is empathetic, he is driven, and he believes in justice for all Damoignites," said Duvan.

He's planning on seeking a full term in the attorney generalship in the fall election, his office confirmed today.

Penora was indicted on state corruption charges back in 2020, but won election to the AG post anyway, despite the charges. He stayed in office until last year, when he was indicted by federal authorities for  alleged corruption and misuse of office crimes that spanned state lines.

The former governor did receive some good news this week, however.

On Monday, state prosecutors announced they had reached a plea agreement with Penora's legal team.

Penora (N) will plead guilty to lesser charges, all misdemeanors. He will also have to forfeit his law license for one year, at which time, it will be reinstated.

The federal charges, however, which are more serious and pose a more severe penalty, are still active. Penora has long maintained his innocence on all charges, calling his prosecution "a witch hunt" and "a political hit job."

However, sources close to Penora say he is willing to settle if it means avoiding more serious consequences.

"Gov. Penora is ready to get his life back. He has been fighting these false charges for the last four years, and he is ready to be done with all this nonsense," his attorney, Charles Nuckles, told the National Press Federation (NPF).

Federal Attorney General Susan Pittman has not indicated whether her agency is willing to make a deal. Penora has long had a strained relationship with President Jim McCaren. 

Pittman works for McCaren, although the president has stayed out of the investigation, Pittman told lawmakers last week in a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Penora's alleged corruption has caused a political firestorm for both McCaren and Jenna Duvan, with both Nationalist leaders being pressured to pardon Penora.

Duvan told reporters back in January that she was "open" to the possibility of pardoning Penora on his state charges. However, his recent plea agreement, which will likely result in little-to-no jail time, means a pardon is less desired.

McCaren has not said if he would pardon Penora on the federal charges. The president has remained tight-lipped on the matter since the federal charges were laid.

Conservatives have used the issue to criticize Nationalists for fostering corruption.

CNS candidates for Damoign governor, who are vying to take on Duvan in the fall general election, have used Penora's legal troubles as a cudgel to attack Duvan.

"The fact that Jenna Duvan would even consider pardoning Rod Penora for his corrupt and illegal behavior is unfathomable," Conservative Mercer Diego, who previously ran and is currently running against Duvan for governor, told the NPF last week.

Pat Leemore, the current frontrunner in the CNS primary race for Damoign governor, told The Grassadellia City Times she was "bewildered" when Duvan announced that she would consider pardoning her predecessor.

"I think Rod Penora wants to run for governor again. I think that's the issue. He can't run for governor if he's a convicted felon; the state constitution forbids that. So he either needs the charges to be reduced, to go away completely, or he needs to be pardoned. I think that's what this is all about," Leemore told the Times. "But when she said she was considering it, my jaw dropped. Someone who allegedly violated their oath of office and misused their office for political and personal reasons. That person cannot be trusted to hold public office again," said Leemore.

Penora was accused of a plethora of crimes, including ordering subordinates to investigate political opponents on false pretenses. The former governor, who is known for his abrasive personality and scorched-earth political tactics, is also alleged to have threatened prosecution to political adversaries, to have illegally obtained documents and surveillance, and to have forged documents. He also, allegedly, covered up his crimes by bribing subordinates with money and job promotions in exchange for their silence.

He continues to maintain his innocence. 

"I am not guilty of any of these damn charges. It's all lies. It's all fabrication. It's all political retribution for my policies and for people who are mad at me because I didn't reward them when I was governor," he told reporters last week, as he walked into a federal courthouse in Middleboro.

Penora is not in jail, he is out on $1.5 million bond. The conditions of his bond dictate that he cannot leave the state of Damoign and he cannot have contact with anyone involved in the case.

No matter how his federal case turns out, whether it goes to trial or is settled with another plea agreement, the former governor will not be running for office anytime soon, he said last week.

"I have no plans to run for anything," Penora told reporters. "My plan is to clear my name, clear the charges, and go home and spend time with my family, who I've been robbed of spending time with over the last four years."

Penora's absence from the ballot is likely to benefit Peter Caruso, who will seek his first full term in November.

However, Nationalist Assemblymen John Blair is also seeking the attorney generalship.

On the Conservative side, Assemblyman John DeGallio of Columbus is running for the position.

Conservatives have never won Damoign's attorney generalship, so a win by DeGallio would be historic.

The Conservative party is also seeking to win Damoign's secretary of state seat. The party has never won that position, either. It is currently held by Nationalist Rob Mercheck, who has served since statehood.

Ansleigha's NAT race for governor is 'a contest between two hippies'

KOEURN, Asl. -- One of the country's closest races for governor is once again in Ansleigha, where two baby-boomer Nationalist candidates are vying for their party's nomination.

Paul Biddington (pronounced "Bide-ding-ton"), a state senator from Churchtown, was the first Nationalist to announce his candidacy for governor.

Biddington, who has previously ran for statewide office unsuccessfully, is eager to take on Conservative Gov. Sam Baskingwood, who is seeking reelection.

"I'm anxious to take a crack at Sam," Biddington told a reporter from the Grassadellia City Times, who shadowed the candidate for a day. "Sam Baskingwood is a typical Conservative: rich, arrogant, doesn't care about the poor, doesn't care about seniors, doesn't really care about veterans. That's why I'm running against him. I care about all those things. And I know Ansleigha inside and out and am willing to fight for our state," he added.

Baskingwood, a former high-profile actor who has won a multitude of awards in Hollywood, is seeking reelection in a state that has recently leaned in favor of Conservatives.

Indeed, polling on a hypothetical head-to-head match up between Baskingwood and Biddington show the governor leading his NAT challenger by 17 percentage points.

However, Independent businesswoman and firebrand Rosamond Burkes has joined the governor's race, throwing the race into a three-way contest between Baskingwood, his eventual NAT opponent, and Burkes herself.

Burkes' entry into the scenario makes the race unpredictable.

A race that previously would have been an easy win for Baskingwood is now in doubt.

The question is, even in a three-way race, can Nationalists beat the popular Baskingwood?

They're hoping the answer is 'yes.'

Also vying for the NAT's nod is art teacher and psychology professor Agatha Houndsler of Danaecke.

A first time candidate, Houndsler was little-known when she announced her candidacy back in February.

Since that time, she has gained a strong following, particularly among women.

A self-described "hippie," Houndsler has championed women's rights, increased taxes on the rich, increased government spending, and a strong focus on fighting climate change.

She and Biddington agree on most issues, with their policies virtually alike on many top issues for NAT voters.

Both are anti-gun. Both want to fight climate change with tax increases. Both believe the wealthy are paying too little taxes. Both strongly support women's and LGBTQ+ rights.

"The difference comes down to tone and temperament," says Houndsler, in an interview with the Grassadellia City Times.

"Paul is very negative. He's very critical, he's very catastrophizing. He's kind of a 'Negative Nelly,'" says Houndsler. "I'm more hopeful and optimistic," she says.

Biddington says he is a hippie, too.

"I fought in Vietnam. I saw how useless and pointless that war was. So, when I came back home, I became fiercely anti-war. And I saw how the rich were exploiting poor people. How men were trying to limit women's rights. How straight people were bigoted toward gay people. I saw all that. And that has shaped my political views and my persona."

Asked if he's negative, as Houndsler claims, Biddington admits, "I kind of am."

"I am negative about Sam Baskingwood. He's benefitting the rich at the expense of the middle class and low-income people. I'm negative about Baskingwood because he's favoring coal companies and big business over the environment. I'm negative about Conservatives because they want to take away a woman's right to choose what she does with her own body. So, yes, I kind of am negative about that stuff."

He adds that "politics are not all sunshine and rainbows and peace signs, like Agatha Houndsler portrays it to be."

A recent poll conducted by the Grantham Institute, a nonpartisan think tank located in neighboring New Portsmouth, found both Biddington and Houndlser garnering 50% support among Ansleigha's NAT voters.

"This race is split 50-50," Biddington told the Times reporter. "It's going to come down to the wire. It's going to be incredibly close."

"I think I'm the candidate that is best suited to take on Sam Baskingwood. I have the toughness and the courage to confront him on all of his policies. Agatha thinks she is better suited. She thinks sending 'positive vibes' will somehow help our state's political problems and solve our issues. I disagree with that," said Biddington.

Houndsler disputed that characterization, telling the Times reporter that "Paul chooses to dwell in a negative space," and that she has "to be in a positive space."

She also pointed out that polls that measure her support versus Baskingwood's show her either trailing slightly or ahead of the governor.

"I poll better. That's the fact. It's just a fact. My numbers are better than Paul's. And I think voters need to consider that when they cast their ballot on May 28," Houndsler said.

For his part, Baskingwood has criticized both NAT candidates, calling Biddington "a left-wing zealot" and Houndsler a "feel-good, DEI-obsessed, liberal academic."

DEI stands for "diversity, equity and inclusion," something Houndsler has strongly advocated in her run for governor.

Rosamond Burkes has been similarly critical of the two NAT candidates, calling Paul Biddington "Paul Cry-ington," because of his repeated complaints and gripes about Baskingwood.

Burkes also calls Houndsler "Hagatha Houndsler," criticizing Houndsler for being a "hag."

The Independent candidate also has a degrading nickname for Baskingwood, calling him "Sell-out Sam," for selling-out to political correctness and the party establishment.

"All three of my opponents are pansies. If you want a strong governor who has some backbone and who doesn't stand down from a fight, vote for me," Burkes posted on X, formerly Twitter, last week.

Biddington took issue with her tweet, pointing out that he is the only veteran in the race.

"I was the only candidate who served our country in the armed forces," Biddington said in an interview on local morning television in Koeurn. "All my opponents are big on political attacks, but I'm the only candidate who is truly battle-tested."

So far, Baskingwood has raised $6.8 million in his bid for reelection. Biddington has raised $4.2 million and Houndsler $5.4 million.

Burkes has raised $2.6 million, although, as a multi-millionaire, she has a vast personal fortune that she can use to boost her campaign coffers.

No matter who wins the May 28 NAT nomination, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: the nation will, once again, look to Ansleigha on election night for one of the country's closest governor's races.

Ansleigha gubernatorial candidates hit the campaign trail

KOEURN, Asl. -- The latest round of polls has spurred Ansleigha's four remaining candidates for governor to hit the campaign trail with extra vigor, this week.

Facing negative polls that show him trailing Nationalist opponent Agatha Houndsler, Conservative Ansleigha Gov. Sam Baskingwood is not taking his reelection lightly.

The governor spent Friday morning visiting local public schools in northwest Koeurn. In the afternoon, he traveled just outside the city in the scenic countryside, visiting local farms and speaking with farmers about how to improve the state's agriculture policies.

Today, Baskingwood started his day out in southeast Koeurn, a notably liberal-leaning and NAT-favoring part of the city. The governor visited farmer's markets and shop owners in the city's Cantilever district, a notable tourist hub.

This evening, Baskingwood is slated to attend an awards ceremony in downtown Koeurn.

Normally, Conservative candidates largely eschew the state's largest city, which leans heavily to the NAT.

But in his reelection bid, Baskingwood is spending more time in Koeurn, not less.

It's part of his statewide strategy, which aides close to the governor describe as "corner-to-corner" across Ansleigha.

"The governor is visiting every nook and cranny of the state," said Press Secretary Ben Sellinger. "His goal is to visit every city, every town, every village, every fruit stand he can."

Baskingwood's NAT rivals didn't take the day off, either.

Houndsler spent Friday touring an abortion clinic in north Koeurn.

Today, she is holding townhall meetings three hours north in Hawkinson County.

State Sen. Paul Biddington, who is also vying for the NAT's gubernatorial nomination, spent Friday up in Martindale County in the state's northwest. Biddington toured a community college campus and met with concerned citizens at a local coffee shop.

Today, his campaign says he is traversing the rest of southwest Ansleigha's territory, which traditionally leans Conservative.

Biddington and Houndsler are locked in a close fight for the NAT's nomination for governor. 

Both candidates are polling evenly, with about 50% support among the state's NAT voters. The two candidates are racing down-to-the-wire to garner as much support as they can before the May 28 primary election.

Also hitting the campaign trail this week is Independent candidate Rosamond Burkes, who initially ruled out running for governor again this year, but later changed her mind.

Burkes campaigned Friday in Cordeyon, telling a group of mostly liberal voters that she supports a woman's right to choose on abortion and she believes the wealthy should pay more taxes.

Burkes' populist platform has resonated with voters across the political spectrum. 

She supports gun rights for law-abiding citizens, is fiercely anti-crime, and is staunchly opposed to political correctness, which has won her favor with Ansleigha's far-right voters.

At the same time, she supports abortion rights for women, increased conservation, and higher taxes on the wealthy, which has won her admirers on the left, as well.

Her position on abortion, however, is muddled. She says she supports abortion rights for women, but also previously told a group of right-leaning voters that she wanted to protect "precious little babies."

Burkes, who does not shy away from controversy, is slated to attend a local fair and farmers market in east Boykin County, Saturday afternoon.

Baskingwood and Burkes will automatically advance to the fall election, since Baskingwood does not have a primary opponent and Burkes is running as an Independent.

However, polls show both candidates struggling against their NAT opponents.

No matter who wins the NAT primary on May 28, the three-way race for governor in the fall will be a close one.

Nationalists are hoping to win their first governorship in Ansleigha since statehood. The party has never won the state's highest office.

They're hoping to change that this year, and national party leaders have pledged to infuse the race with millions of dollars in advertising and campaign logistics to help deliver a win for the NAT.

Conservatives have dominated Ansleigha's elections in recent years, and they're hoping to maintain their lock on the state's top job. The national party has similarly pledged millions of dollars to defend Baskingwood from what the party describes as "a liberal onslaught."

Damoign Conservatives cast first votes in governor's primary race

LARCH LANE, Dmg. -- Lieutenant Governor Pat Leemore (C) had a big opening night in Damoign's Conservative party governor's race.

As Damoign Conservatives look to choose a nominee for governor to go up against incumbent NAT Gov. Jenna Duvan this fall, Leemore is hoping the momentum she enjoyed on the first night of voting carries her through to the end of the primary calendar.

Damoign is the only state in the country in which candidates for governor don't compete in one, single, statewide primary election, but instead compete in a series of county-level, local elections over a period of several months.

Damoign's traditional system has been in effect for decades. Its unique, prolonged, local-level system is designed to force candidates for governor to focus on local communities and rural areas instead of only the Grassadellia City metropolitan area, where a majority of Damoignites live.

In the first round of voting, held Wednesday, four counties held their elections: suburban and affluent Wortherton County and Kinslow County on the western outskirts of Grassadellia City, as well as New Tyne County in the state's southwest, and Isle County in south-central Damoign.

Leemore won three of the four, only losing New Tyne County to rival Mercer Diego, who now lives there.

With seven Conservative candidates for governor, it's difficult for one candidate to have a resounding, landslide victory in any county. 

In most cases, the candidates will split the votes fairly evenly.

That was the case Wednesday evening, as Leemore won Isle County with 28.1%, Wortherton County with 23.6%, and Kinslow County with just 21.2%, respectively.

Diego won his newly-adopted home county of New Tyne with 26.6%, respectively. The county, in the highly-Conservative southwest corner of the state, is more middle class and more right-leaning than the other three counties at stake on Wednesday.

Despite her modest plurality wins Wednesday night, Leemore celebrated the first election returns at an election night party in Larch Lane, a wealthy Conservative-leaning suburb south of Grassadellia City in neighboring Larch County.

"I think we're off to a good start," Leemore said to a crowd of supporters, gathered in a small hotel ballroom. "Tonight's results are encouraging, and they prove that Damoign Conservatives want an established leader who has solid conservative credentials, who is unafraid to stand up to Nationalists, and who is ready and prepared to lead," she said, to enthusiastic applause and cheers.

Just a few miles away at another luxury hotel, billionaire businessman George Velmar, who entered the governor's race at the last second, held a press conference. After all the votes were counted Wednesday night, Velmar was standing in second place out of the seven candidates.

"Not bad for joining the race at the last minute," Velmar said, to cheers from his supporters. "This race is a tortoise and hare situation," he continued. "Some candidates will get a quick start and an early lead, but it's about who finished at the end with the most votes. I'm very pleased with how we did tonight," he said.

Up north, in the heart of Grassadellia's largest city, in the borough of Middleboro, businessman and attorney John Barian, who placed third in Wednesday night's contests, held his election night celebration at a posh bar.

"I'm very satisfied with how we did tonight," Barian said. "We are currently standing in third place in the rankings, and this is my first run for office. Most people didn't even know who John Barian was before I started my campaign. And now we're currently in third place, and not far behind those who lead us. So I'm very happy. And I couldn't have done it and can't keep doing it without you and your help. So, thank you very much," he said to his supporters.

It was a more muted tone downstate at Mercer Diego's election night gathering.

The former lieutenant governor, who grew up in Tolston and who twice ran unsuccessfully for governor against Jenna Duvan (N), is staging his third run for the state's highest office.

After his two previous losses, Diego moved out of Damoign, lamenting the liberal policies Duvan was implementing. 

He and his family relocated far away to Clothen, Lial. Diego, who was an Evangelical minister before entering politics, returned to the ministry in Lial, working as a senior pastor at a mega church in suburban Clothen for almost five years.

In 2019, Diego purchased a home and 210-acre ranch in southwest Damoign, but continued working in Lial.

He moved permanently to his Damoign ranch last year, shortly before announcing his candidacy for governor.

It was at his picturesque ranch, Wednesday night, that Diego tried to console his anxious supporters after his fourth-place finishing.

"It's not our best showing tonight, but you know what? Three of the four counties we were competing in tonight are liberal counties. And we are the most conservative, anti-establishment candidate in this race. So it's only predictable and expected that the pro-establishment candidates should have won tonight," Diego said.

He also told supporters that more conservative-leaning counties in the state's more rural areas in southern Damoign will go strongly for him, when their contests are held.

"This is one round of voting. When you have more conservative parts of the state voting, like Patterham County, Columbus County, Templeton County...you're going to see a strong showing for Mercer Diego. These numbers we have tonight are just one round and they're temporary. They're not a trend."

Diego is partially correct. Isle County is a liberal-leaning county. Kinslow County is a battleground suburban county.

Wortherton County, directly west of Grassadellia City, is a known Conservative-favoring county, however.

Although, the county, which is highly-educated and affluent, is known to typically favor more centrist Conservative candidates.

Kim Camden, a former Byelle Administration Treasury Department official, campaigned heavily in Wortherton County and her native Kinslow County. Camden, a moderate, ended the night in fifth place, but only a few hundred votes behind Diego.

"I am extremely proud of how we did tonight," she said. "I met so many wonderful people on the campaign trail, and we are definitely lesser-known and less wealthy than many of our fellow candidates. So, the fact that we were able to land in a very close fifth-place, right behind two other candidates, right in the thick of it, despite having a very small budget and less name recognition, I think is really good news for us," she said.

Camden previously ran for governor in 2020 but was not a serious contender.

Businessmen Rob McCann of Gregorson and Rick Tesario of West Lake also trailed significantly on Wednesday night, with McCann only garnering 11.8% and Tesario a meager 5.6%, respectively.

Both men pledged to continue their campaigns, however.

"This was the first round of voting. Only four counties out of 43 have had a chance to have their say. I think we owe it to those other millions of Damoignites to have their say," McCann said.

Tesario had similar sentiments.

"It's way too early to talk about people dropping out. One round of voting and the establishment is already ready to thin the herd. That's not going to happen with our campaign," he told the Grassadellia City Times.

Tesario previously ran for governor in 2016, first as a Conservative, and then as a Constitution party candidate. Despite entreaties from Mercer Diego, who was the Conservative nominee, and other party leaders, Tesario refused to drop out of the race.

His presence on the ballot as a third-party candidate was widely blamed for Diego's narrow loss to Jenna Duvan.

To this day, Tesario is loved by small-government advocates and gun rights enthusiasts. His focus on the budget and starkly reducing government spending has won him accolades from fiscal conservatives.

However, Tesario is still unpopular with party leadership, who feel he sabotaged the party's best chance at winning the governorship in a very close contest.

This year, the party establishment is split. Many support Leemore, the moderate lieutenant governor from Bragdon County.

A pragmatic Conservative who styles herself in a similar mold to Sid Hoffa and Ronald Reagan, Leemore, a folksy grandmother, is well-liked by voters. She campaigns with ease, speaking to large crowds and small groups with equal leisure. She avoids controversial social issues, but champions law and order policies.

She is considerably more moderate than Diego, however. And more right-wing, particularly religious and Evangelical voters, tend to favor the former lieutenant governor over the current.

Diego is supported by some party establishment, but his star has faded significantly since his previous two unsuccessful runs.

He also angered many top Conservatives in 2020 when he endorsed state Sen. Brian Tyker for governor over former Gov. and Diego's former boss and mentor Sid Hoffa.

Still, many in the party's upper echelons are backing billionaire businessman George Velmar, who, at age 76, is thought to be too old, by many. However, Velmar has a massive bank account that he can use to inject his campaign with cash. And as a moderate who is outspoken on some issues, much like former US President Donald Trump, Velmar is lauded for his candor and his lack of fear of remaining politically correct.

Some party establishment members also support John Barian, although the little-known lawyer from Middleboro will need to drastically increase his name recognition if he has any hope of winning the state's top job.

Whoever wins for the Conservatives, it will be a difficult battle in the fall's general election.

Nationalist incumbent Gov. Jenna Duvan is running for a historic third, consecutive term. And while she and her NAT allies changed state law to eliminate term limits and allow her to seek a third term, she remains popular with many Damoignites for her emphasis on fighting white collar crime, protecting women's and LGBTQ+ rights, and fighting climate change.

Polls show a close race heading into November.

Conservatives are hoping Duvan fatigue, and violent crimes and property crimes, which have risen during Duvan's tenure, will prompt voters who previously backed Duvan to switch sides and support the CNS nominee.

The next counties to hold their elections in the Conservative governor's primary race will be: Joyner County, Shawheath County, Francesca County, Gregorson County and Dirkson.

Those elections will be held next Wednesday, May 15.