Tara Hadley says she got 'robbed' twice but 'it's time to move on'

OXLEY HILLS, Wilk. -- Former Christon Mayor and two-time failed gubernatorial nominee Tara Hadley has ended her third campaign for governor in last place.

Hadley finished third in a three-way race with businessman Charlie Dunn and federal Sen. Bob Mellon.

She took 30.29% to Mellon's 34.83% and Dunn's 34.89%, respectively.

Hadley was the Conservative Party's nominee for governor in both the 2020 and 2016 elections.

In 2016, after initially winning the first tally, she narrowly lost after multiple recounts to Nationalist tech executive Tom Durick. The final hand-recount found Hadley had earned 49.87% to Durick's 50.13%, respectively.

She and her supporters insisted the race was "stolen" from her due to cheating by NAT politicians and elections officials.

However, no evidence of any cheating or wrongdoing has ever been presented by Hadley or any other party.

Hadley ran again in 2020, but this time lost by a more decisive margin to Durick. The race was still close, but not a razor-thing margin like the 2016 election was. In 2020, Hadley lost 47.88%-49.40%, respectively.

Again, like in 2016, Hadley claimed election "irregularities" led to her defeat.

She vowed to run again for a third time in the 2024 governor's race. And she followed through on that promise, despite top Conservative Party leaders urging her to drop out of the race.

One of the most infamous moments of the campaign came during a Conservative candidate debate in Wakestraw back in March, when federal Sen. Bob Mellon called on Hadley to drop out of the race.

"Tara, sweetie, you ran twice and you lost twice. And last time you lost by more than the first time. I just don't see how you can win this time if you couldn't win the last two times. It's time to step aside and let someone new pick up the torch," said Mellon.

His comments, including his sarcastic use of the term "sweetie," were roundly criticized as sexist, by Hadley and members of both political parties and various journalists.

But Hadley refused to drop out. Instead, she rallied her supporters, repeating on the campaign trail that "the third time's the charm."

She even had posters with that phrase made and hung up behind her on the podium at various campaign stops.

But it turns out, the third time wasn't the charm for Hadley. Not only did she lose her party's nomination for the first time, she came in a distant third-place.

And this time, there were no accusations of cheating or underhanded tactics.

"I lost. It's clear I lost. I don't think there was any wrongdoing or ballot stuffing or harvesting or anything like that. The flat out, plain, simple truth is I lost. The voters went a different direction, and you have to respect that," she told reporters at her election night "victory" rally in the suburban Oxley Hills, just west of Bradford.

Christon told reporters "we fought like hell to win this thing," and she insisted "we would have been a great governor and I'm confident we would have won in the fall election if I were nominated again."

However, "the Conservative voters of Wilkonshire have spoken, and I respect their will," said a somewhat despondent Hadley.

She acknowledged it was frustrating to have committed the last almost 12 years of her career to her three consecutive campaigns for governor.

"Clearly, being governor just isn't in the cards for me right now," she said, leaving open the possibility she may run again in the future.

"I don't ever close the door completely because you never know, but at this point, it's time to move on. It's time to move on to another goal, another gig, another mission."

She told reporters she plans to stay "politically engaged," though she declined to say what that exactly means.

Hadley also told her supporters on election night that she will be taking some time away, and is planning several months of travel and rest.

"I will be flying out to a tropical island next week. I don't want to say where specifically, because I'll probably have protestors and media follow me. And I just want to be left alone for a while," she joked.

"When I come back, though...back home here to Wilkonshire, which will always be home for me, I will not just sit around and go quietly into the night. I will remain politically engaged. I will continue to support Conservative candidates. And I will continue to champion conservative causes that put common sense first and politicians and political parties second," she said to cheers.

She congratulated Charlie Dunn on his win, and thanked Dunn and Bob Mellon for a "whirlwind" campaign.

"I want to thank both Bob Mellon and Charlie Dunn for a well-fought race. They made me a better candidate. They make our state a better place to live. They will give the Nationalists hell. And I'm happy and grateful for that. I want to wish them both well as Charlie heads into the fall election, he needs our support. I will be right there supporting him and doing what I can to help elect him. And I want to wish Senator Mellon well too, as he heads back to Mavocke to continue the good, righteous work of standing up to liberal and voting against their disastrous policies. We need Bob Mellon in the Senate. We need other people like him. God bless him for being there and being on the front lines. So I wish him well as he continues the fight."

"As for me, there is more to me than just running for governor. As you know, I'm a wife, a mother, and now a grandmother. And that's a big part of my life. And I intend to enjoy my family and spend time with them. But don't think for a minute I'm done with politics and I'm retiring. I might be out of this race, but I will not rest until we have common sense conservative leaders across this state and this country. Never give up. Never give in. I'm a fighter. People who know me best know that. And I will not rest until we have transformed our state and our country. Exactly how I'm going to make a difference and what role I'll play, I'm not sure yet. But I will stay busy fighting for you and fighting for Wilkonshire," she said to thunderous applause.

Tom O'Hearn blames primary loss on inadequate focus on social justice issues

BRADFORD, Wilk. -- Former Federal Sen. Tom O'Hearn is still reeling from his surprise loss for lieutenant governor on Tuesday.

The former ivy league-educated senator was considered a shoo-in for the Nationalist Party's nomination for lieutenant governor.

As a former federal senator, O'Hearn is highly revered in the state NAT party, and had a mountain of campaign cash to fund his campaign.

His opponent was somewhat known, but lacked the name recognition and political connections O'Hearn has.

However, O'Hearn ended up narrowly losing to African-Grassadellian activist James Marlowe, who had a fraction of the amount of campaign cash that O'Hearn had.

Marlowe beat O'Hearn 51%-49%, respectively, a difference of about 25,000 votes out of more than 1.3 million cast.

It was a humbling experience for O'Hearn, and in an interview with a Bradford radio station Friday, O'Hearn told hosts Sean McAvery and Nelson Guinness that he blames his loss on himself.

"I talked about election integrity, I talked about economic equality, I talked about holding corporations accountable," O'Hearn told the radio duo.

"But what I didn't spend enough time talking about, and I should have talked about more, was the racial disparities in our state. I didn't talk enough about racial inclusion and diversity. I didn't talk enough about how homelessness is plaguing our minority communities. I didn't talk enough about educational inequities. I didn't talk about police brutality against African-Grassadellian men. I should have talked about these issues more," continued O'Hearn.

"Mr. Marlowe did talk about these issues, and that proved to be a winning theme that his campaign translated into a win. So, it's really my own fault for not focusing on the issues that matter to people. I should have read the room better," said O'Hearn.

Marlowe is an African-Grassadellian activist who has spent years campaigning for increased housing for Black Wilkonshireans. He's also led anti-police rallies protesting police brutality. And he's led the fight for increased opportunities and equity in public schools for young Black students.

His protests and words have at times proven controversial. At several anti-police demonstrations in Bradford and Christon back in 2020, the demonstrations turned violent. Police accused Marlowe of either fueling the flames and inflaming protestors' anger, or not doing enough to stop the violence.

"This is a man who encouraged protestors to throw bricks through windows, who encouraged protestors to loot businesses and attack police officers," then-Christon Police Chief Tom Unridge told the STAR Network back in 2020.

Marlowe has disputed claims he espoused or overlooked violence. But he did say he understood why protestors were resorting to violence.

"When you have white police officers arresting, detaining, mistreating, beating innocent Black young men (and women), hell yeah people are going to be fired up and are going to throw bricks and sticks. You don't kill Black people and not hear about it from our community. We will not stand by while innocent Black folk are victimized by police," Marlowe said in a 2021 interview on the STAR Network.

Conservatives used Marlowe's anti-police history against him back in 2022 when he ran for the Federal Senate against incumbent John Agnew (C).

Agnew won that race 56%-43%, respectively.

And this time around, as Marlowe runs for lieutenant governor, Conservatives are already raising Marlowe's anti-police record.

TV commercials criticizing Marlowe for anti-police demonstrations and violence have already begun airing statewide.

"It's astounding to me that the Wilkonshire Nationalist Party allows a radical, left-wing, anti-police, violent criminal to run under their party's banner," said former state Attorney General Pete Gioulianis, who is running for federal Senate this year.

"That says a lot about the Nationalist Party," said Gioulianis.

Marlowe defended himself again this week, telling Wilkonshire Public Radio that Conservatives are twisting the truth about his advocacy work.

"I have never espoused violence. I have never encouraged violence. These right-wingers are taking my legitimate charity work and activism and they are making it sound like I'm a gang leader. That couldn't be further from the truth. But the reason they're distorting the truth is because they're scared of social justice. They're scared of equality for Black people. They're scared of a world in which minorities have rights and have equal access and opportunity. And I won't stop fighting for equality, even if they lie about me and threaten me. I won't stop," he vowed.

O'Hearn also came to Marlowe's defense.

"He's (Marlowe) being portrayed as a thug by the Conservatives. When in reality, he's a civic leader. He's a community organizer who has fought for minorities and fought for equal housing, for fair employment, fair wages, for fair treatment from police. There's nothing radical about that. But the Conservatives will take legitimate activism and advocacy and try to twist it into something it's not. They try to scare people with their scare tactics. And I believe the people of Wilkonshire will see right through that old tactic," said O'Hearn.

Former Wilkonshire Gov. Caroline Jepsey, who is running for federal Senate against Gioulianis, also defended Marlowe in a campaign stop just outside New Dunslee, Friday evening.

"I've known James Marlowe for many years, and he is a brilliant, bright, energetic young leader. He believes in racial equality. He believes in lifting up Black Grassadellians and all Grassadellians of color. He is doing important work in our inner-cities, and it's sad that the Conservatives are taking the valuable work he's doing and they're trying to twist it and turn it into something it's not," said Jepsey.

Outgoing NAT Gov. Tom Durick also praised Marlowe, telling Wilkonshire Public Radio that Conservatives are trying to do "a political hit job" on Marlowe.

"What do they do when they don't like you or what you stand for? They tell people you're violent. You're angry. You're a threat. You're dangerous. You're radical. That's what they're doing to James. But the people of Wilkonshire know James. They got to know him back in 2022 when he ran for Senate. They know him from his activism. And the people of Wilkonshire are smarter than that. They can see these political attacks for what they are. It's just a smear campaign, that's all. Oldest trick in the book," said Durick.

Meanwhile, Conservative candidate for lieutenant governor, Tom Rose, has so far stayed quiet on Marlowe's anti-police activism.

Asked about the controversy on Saturday at the Wilkonshire State Fair, Rose, a former Evangelical pastor, told reporters, "I think Wilkonshireans want a lieutenant governor who is focused on the future, and who puts the people first, not special interest groups, not political parties, not a certain agenda. We haven't had a lieutenant governor who put the people first in a very long time, and I intent to bring trust back to the lieutenant governor's office."

***Election Results -- Wilkonshire Lieutenant Governor Race -- NAT Nomination***

686,337	659,283				Total Votes:	1,345,619
Marlowe	O'Hearn
51.01%	48.99%				VTO: 17%

After recount, Charlie Dunn prevails in Wilkonshire's CNS primary for governor

TEAUPEDERIE, Wilk. -- Just 768 votes. That's how many votes pushed Conservative businessman Charlie Dunn over the edge in the Conservative primary election for governor.

Dunn, who owns an office supply company based in Teaupederie, just barely edged out Conservative Federal Sen. Bob Mellon in the race for party's nomination for governor.

In the first count, Dunn led by Mellon by almost 6,000 votes.

But Dunn led Mellon by less than one-half of one percent, which triggered an automatic recount by state elections officials.

After the recount, Dunn held just a 768-vote lead over Mellon, which state officials attributed to a few minor errors in counting, but mostly to a surge in last-minute votes for Mellon.

"We had several thousand ballots arrive by mail after election night, and most of those ballots that came in late went to Bob Mellon. He benefited greatly from a last-minute drop of ballots in his favor," said Secretary of State Hannah Meade, a Nationalist.

Some votes came from overseas and military voters too. Those ballots often arrive after election day. They're still valid votes as long as they were postmarked before election night.

In the end, Mellon conceded the race to Dunn.

"It's heart-breaking to lose this race by just 768 votes. You can't get much closer than that. Out of almost 1.3 million cast. That's pretty darn close," Mellon told supporters at a press conference in New Dunslee.

"But we've had two counts of the votes. Charlie Dunn led both counts. We closed the gap, but not enough. He's still in the lead, and it's clear there are no votes left to count. Another recount would probably not change the outcome. So I've made the difficult decision to suspend my campaign for governor. I called Charlie Dunn and conceded to him earlier this afternoon, and I ask all Wilkonshire Conservative voters to cast your ballot for him this fall," Mellon said.

After several days of holding off on declaring victory, with Mellon's concession, and a concession from former Christon Mayor Tara Hadley, who came in third place, Dunn held a televised press conference at his campaign headquarters in Teaupederie.

"I want to thank Bob Mellon and Tara Hadley for an energetic primary campaign. They both raised a lot of good issues, and really, on most issues, we have similar views. We all are Conservatives. We all want lower taxes. We all want small businesses to succeed. We all want government to get out of the way and let the people live their lives. We all want less bureaucracy and less federal intrusion in our state affairs. We all want individual freedom and liberty. So, I think the primary race was a great opportunity for us to discuss the things we agree on and the few areas where we have minor differences," said Dunn.

He quickly turned his attention to his NAT opponent, Lt. Gov. David Handley.

"Now we have to pivot to the fall election, where we are going up against David Handley and the Nationalist Party machine," said Dunn. "They are going to pull out all stops to beat us. They have been in power for 16 years, and they know the voters are pissed off at them, and they will twist anything we say, they will distort everything we do, they will manipulate the media and lie and make fake news up to turn the voters against us. They'll do anything to cling to power. But we are not going to back down and we are not going to be weak. We are ready for this battle. We are ready to stand strong. We are ready to convince the people of Wilkonshire that our vision for this state's future is far better, far fairer and far more attainable than the NAT, liberal, left-wing agenda that is being pushed by David Handley, Tom Durick, James Marlowe and others."

No polls on the Handley-Dunn race have been published yet, but most political commentators rank the race as a "toss-up."

***Wilkonshire Primary Election -- Conservative Race for Governor -- Official Results***

449,333	390,133	448,565
Dunn	Hadley	Mellon
34.89%	30.29%	34.83%

Total Votes:	1,288,032
VTO: 16%

David Handley will be NAT nominee in Wilkonshire gubernatorial race

BRADFORD, Wilk. -- Wilkonshire Nationalists will have a young nominee for governor, who, if elected, could become the youngest governor in state history.

The five-way race for governor among Wilkonshire's Nationalists has come to an end, with Lt. Gov. David Handley taking the most votes.

Handley hardly won a mandate from voters. Under Wilkonshire law, whichever candidate wins a simple plurality, or simply the most votes, wins the primary election. Handley won just 23.49%, respectively.

But that 23% was more than any of his four opponents. Former state Attorney General Reed Powell came in a close second place, winning 21.58%, while state Sen. Dean Albaugh was right behind with 21.42%, respectively.

Businessman Michael Pike was not far behind the top three; Pike earned 19.39%, while state Rep. Rod Winkleton trailed significantly with only 14.13%, respectively.

That means Handley, a two-term lieutenant governor who has served closely with outgoing NAT Gov. Tom Durick, will take the reins of the state party and attempt to lead the Wilkonshire NAT to an historic fifth consecutive term in the governor's office.

Nationalists have controlled Wilkonshire's governorship for almost 16 years, with both Durick and his predecessor Caroline Jepsey serving two back-to-back terms.

Conservatives, meanwhile, are itching to wrest control of the governorship from Nationalists. Only one Conservative has ever held the state's governorship since statehood, and it was only briefly -- for just over a year. 

That lone Conservative governor was former federal Attorney General John Agnew, who served as the state's interim governor until his election to the federal Senate in 2010.

Now, after a nearly 16-year dry spell, Conservatives are anxious to hit the pavement and make their case to Wilkonshireans.

"After 16 years of failed Nationalist policies, Wilkonshireans are hungry for common sense conservative policies that put the people, the taxpayers, and public safety first," state CNS chairman Don Teaguen told the NPF.

It's a common theme among the three Conservative candidates seeking their party's nomination.

Tara Hadley, the former mayor of Christon and a twice-failed nominee for governor, is running for the third time in a row.

Hadley, who came exceedingly close to winning the governorship in both 2020 and 2016, has leaned in heavily to right-wing conspiracy theories. She attributes both her losses for governor to cheating and errors in the secretary of state's office, and she has made law and order a central theme of her campaign.

"As mayor of Christon, I saw first-hand the crime we have in this state, and I saw the failed liberal policies at the state level that sent violent criminals to rehab instead of prison. I saw how imbecilic Nationalist politicians let violent criminals out of prison early. I saw how repeat offenders were booked into jail for a couple hour and then released back into the community, even after dozens of arrests and convictions. I've seen hundreds or thousands of Wilkonshireans who have had their cars stolen, their homes broken into, who have been assaulted by homeless people and victimized by gangs. And Nationalist politicians have done nothing to stop the assault on public safety in this state," she said in a recent TV interview.

Teaupederie businessman Charlie Dunn had similar criticisms on crime, although he has eschewed many of the conspiracy theories Hadley has embraced.

"I think the Nationalist party and Nationalist party politicians have failed our state," Dunn said in a TV interview with the GBC last week. "We have record crime. We have record inflation. We have record bad scores in our public schools. We have record traffic in the Bradford-Christon corridor. We have record office vacancies in downtown Bradford and Christon and elsewhere. I think it's time for a change. I think people are hungry for change."

Federal Senator Bob Mellon, who is also seeking the CNS nomination for governor, agrees, but was more pointed in his criticism.

Mellon, known for his colorful language and humorous quips, told GBC Radio that "Liberal Nationalist politicians have put Wilkonshire in the toilet" with their "failed liberal policies."

"How much longer will the people of Wilkonshire tolerate liberal politicians who fail to get criminals off the street. Who spend all our tax dollars on pointless social programs that don't actually help anyone. Who worry more about climate change than the economy. Who have lost more jobs than just about any other state in this country. How long will Wilkonshireans stand for it? I can tell you, from all my traveling around this state and from all the hundreds or thousands of people I meet every month, I can tell you that Wilkonshireans are mad as hell. And they're ready to fight for change," Mellon said.

Nationalists dispute those Conservative talking points.

Handley himself, in a sit-down interview at the Wilkonshire State Fair this week, said Conservative complaints about crime are "overblown."

"Governor Durick and I and others have been working to expand our prisons and jails so we can get more criminals off the streets. We're trying to reform our bail process, so that it's fairer and more equitable for all Wilkonshireans. And we're working to hire more prosecutors and public defenders so that our court system is more efficient and can handle the increased caseload," Handley told local journalists.

Conservatives say that's not enough.

"Adding more prosecutors and public defenders helps, but it's not enough. Nationalists politicians directly exacerbated the crime problem in this state. They gave criminals a free pass and let them out of jail with no repercussions, with no stipulations. And now they've realized their policies are disastrous, and they're trying to fix it," Charlie Dunn told a group of undecided voters at the Circaylah County Fair last week. "At least they're trying to fix it and they're doing something. But we wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for all the failed NAT policies and failed politicians who put us in this mess."

Nationalists insist the Wilkonshire economy is on the uptick. After the pandemic, with remote work increasing, corporate rentals in high-rise buildings did plummet, as they have done across the nation and in all first-world countries. But just last week, Bradford city officials said two large companies leased office space in the city's central business district.

And in the education sector, math and reading scores were better this year among Wilkonshire students than scores were in the last five years.

"It's taking us a while to recover from the pandemic. From the financial impact, the impact to our kids, the impact to our infrastructure," Handley told voters at the State Fair. "But we are slowly improving. And if we elect pragmatic, level-minded leaders, we will continue our sensible recovery. We will come out stronger than we were before. If we elect reactionary Conservative politicians who want to completely upend everything and cause upheaval, that will set us back."

Handley's fellow NAT opponents for governor held largely similar views. Powell, the former state attorney general, espoused more middle-of-the-road views, telling voters the night before the primary election that Nationalists had to appeal to disaffected independent and even Conservative voters.

"We can't win statewide elections this year if we aren't reaching out to folks on the other side," Powell said in a campaign stop in Evanston, in the far eastern Wilkonshire suburbs of Lanakis.

Rod Winkleton, another centrist, had similar views.

"People are mad at the Nationalist party because we've been in power for decades now and people feel like they're not much better off," Winkleton told reporters at a campaign stop in rural Nephariles County in the north-central part of the state. "We have to build a coalition of our team plus some others who might otherwise vote the other way."

Businessman Michael Pike agreed, telling reporters in the state capitol of Newberry last week that "A strong economy and business-friendly policies are not a Nationalist or Conservative thing, they are a common sense thing."

But state Sen. Dean Albaugh pushed a more left-wing, liberal agenda. Albaugh's progressive populist policies resonated with poor voters, rural voters and blue collar voters. 

Albaugh assailed Conservatives' proposals to cut taxes for wealthy Wilkonshireans. He eviscerated Conservative candidates for suggesting corporate tax cuts. And he blamed state Nationalist leaders for being too moderate.

"We don't win by moving to the right on all these issues. We win by standing up and telling voters, 'This is what Conservatives want to do, and this is what we will do.' If we compare and contrast and present the dichotomy clearly, voters will move to our side, because the voters know the Conservative ideology is flawed," said Albaugh last week while campaigning in suburban New Dunslee.

As the party's official nominee, what direction the state party takes as it heads into the fall general election will largely be up to David Handley and his campaign.

The lieutenant governor has championed progressive policies, but has so far not drifted far to the left. He calls his policies "Pragmatic Progressivism."

The NAT nominee for lieutenant governor, James Marlowe, an African-Grassadellian activist from inner-city Christon, is considerably further left on the political spectrum than Handley.

Marlowe narrowly beat former federal Sen. Tom O'Hearn to win the NAT's nomination for lieutenant governor. 

In his victory speech, Marlowe pledged to "nudge" Handley and state Nationalist leaders further to the left.

"We've had liberal-lite policies for years now. We've had two centrist NAT governors. And we're grateful for their leadership. But the time for economic equity and equal opportunity for all Wilkonshireans is here, and we're not going to pass up that opportunity.

Marlowe calls himself a "socialist," and does not shy away from the term. Conservatives have pounced on his left-wing views, already airing TV commercials that show video of Marlowe describing his socialist views.

"James Marlowe is a radical left-wing activist and a self-described 'socialist.' And now he's the mainstream of the Wilkonshire Nationalist Party," a narrator says in a pro-Conservative campaign commercial.

The state CNS is confident that twice-failed lieutenant governor candidate Tom Rose, a former pastor, will prevail against the overtly liberal Marlowe.

"I'm confident voters will look at their two choices for lieutenant governor and they'll see a radical socialist on one side, and a reasonable, pro-business, pro-capitalist pastor on the other side. I think they'll back Tom Rose quite easily," said state CNS chairman Teaguen.

Although Marlowe is decisively left-wing, and his politics may be soundly rejected in the vast rural reaches of the state, he is popular among minorities. And he previously ran for federal Senate in 2022, losing to Conservative incumbent John Agnew. But while his run for Senate was unsuccessful, it gave him increased name-recognition and allowed him to build alliances around the state.

Furthermore, Marlowe's left-wing racial equality policies resonate in urban areas like Bradford and inner-Christon.

The statewide elections for governor and lieutenant governor may largely come down to which party's voters turn out to vote on election day.

Wilkonshire is a battleground state, and has roughly the same number of NAT and CNS voters. In 2016, Tom Durick (N) beat Tara Hadley (C) in the race for governor by just 11,000 votes out of more than 2.3 million cast.

So the state is used to close elections. And Wilkonshireans may need to prepare for close races this time around too.

***Wilkonshire NAT Primary Election Results -- Governor -- Official Results***

318,243	292,286	191,361	262,631	290,126	Total Votes:	1,354,647
Handley	Powell	Winkleton	Pike	Albaugh		VTO: 17%
23.49%	21.58%	14.13%	19.39%	21.42%

Marsha Dawes wins Marchenay's CNS senate primary

CHARRINGTON, Mar. -- Wealthy millionaire businessman Burke Azurjean has suffered a second defeat in Marchenay politics.

The former Bankcorp CEO conceded to downstate Assemblywoman Marsha Dawes last night, after the two Conservative candidates endured a hard-fought race for the party's nomination for federal senate.

The final numbers from Secretary of State Ari Kavarnath showed Dawes ahead with 50.74% to Azurjean's 49.26%, respectively, a difference of about 30,000 votes.

Dawes will go on to the fall election to challenge NAT incumbent Sen. Heidi Wolmach. The race is rated as a "toss-up" by most political prognosticators.

Azurjean was hoping to win his party's backing, even donating more than $1.7 million of his own money to his campaign.

But Conservative voters narrowly sided with Dawes, who has served southern Marchenay in the Assembly for years.

Dawes entered the race first, and criticized Azurjean for "coming to the table late in the game," although Azurjean declared his candidacy back in March.

His narrow loss to Dawes is the second painful election defeat he's faced in the past two years.

In 2022, Azurjean finished second in the Conservative primary election for governor, only 568 votes behind eventual governor-elect Mike Shannon (C).

"Once again, we have another extremely close election, and it appears the numbers are not in our favor," Azurjean told his supporters at his election night rally at a suburban Madagen wine bar. "It's clear to me that this race has been won by Assemblywoman Dawes, and I congratulate her on her win."

Dawes, at her election night celebration in Wynbrook in far-southern Marchenay, thanked Azurjean for a "robust" debate.

"Burke Azurjean ran for governor and he lost by a sliver. He ran for senate, and he lost by not very much. While I am grateful for winning my party's support and nomination, we have to acknowledge and recognize that Burke Azurjean has won hundreds of thousands of votes over the last two years. Hundreds of thousands, over a million actually, Marchenayans have chosen him with their votes. And while he didn't win, he has amassed a large amount of support, and clearly his message is resonating with Marchenayans. So Burke, thank you for a hard-fought race. Thank you for bringing important issues into the dialogue. And thank you for your willingness to serve Marchenay," said Dawes.

Azurjean admitted to reporters on election night that it was "frustrating" to have lost two close elections in a row. But he said he still believed in the people of Marchenay and the power of democracy.

"We live in a democracy, and we believe that whichever candidate wins the most votes has the confidence of the party. Marsha Dawes got more votes than me. The voters picked her, and I respect that," said Azurjean.

Still, the loss has to be stinging. Azurjean poured over $1.7 million of his own money into his senate campaign. And he poured millions more into his 2022 failed gubernatorial bid as well.

It's unclear what the future holds for Azurjean, who two years ago stepped down from his high-paying job as CEO of Bankcorp.

There's talk that Azurjean may be offered a political commentator position with the STAR Network. He may write a book, and may run for another office in the future.

"I haven't decided what I'm going to do next. I do know I'm not going to just quietly go away and fade into the background. We have too many problems in this country for good people to sit on the sidelines and not say anything. So I will stay involved. But what that involvement looks like, I'm not sure yet," he told reporters Monday.

Azurjean did pledge to campaigning for and helping elect Dawes in the general election.

"Marsha is a thousand times better of a choice than Heidi Wolmach. So I will happily campaign for her, if she wants me to, and I'll do whatever I can to make sure she secures that 49th senate seat," Azurjean said, referring to the number "49," which is the amount of seats needed for a majority in the senate.

Currently, Nationalists have 54 seats while Conservatives have only 42. The CNS will have to gain seven new seats, and hold all their current seats, in order to win back the senate chamber.

The Heidi Wolmach campaign congratulated Dawes on her victory in the Conservative primary, but quickly pivoted to attacking Dawes for her "radical" views.

"Marsha Dawes is extreme on abortion. She has voted to strip away woman's reproductive freedom. She's an extremist on guns. She's voted to let people buy assault rifles and lethal weapons that have no business being on our streets. She continues to back the extremist Benjamin Netanyahu regime in Israel in their illegal war on Palestinians. And Senator Wolmach looks forward to presenting Marsha Dawes' radical views to Marchenayans," said campaign spokeswoman Sarah Peoples.

Dawes hit back Monday night in an interview on the STAR Network, telling conservative host Brad Upkins that "Heidi Wolmach is one of the most dangerous senators in Mavocke right now," and that "her anti-Israel stance, her pro-taxes on families, her anti-children and family policies are literally killing and robbing Marchenayans."

Marchenay Senate Primary -- Conservative Party -- Official Results
	Marsha Dawes	50.74%	1,040,359
	Burke Azurjean	49.26%	1,009,927
			-----------------
	VTO: 18%		2,050,286

Tom Muddleford consolidates NAT support after winning party's nomination for NC governor

PARKINS, N. Ceona -- Despite a crowded primary race with eight candidates, North Ceona Senate Minority Leader Tom Muddleford has quickly coalesced the support of his party and former challengers.

In the race for governor, Muddleford won the NAT's nomination, defeating seven well-known and well-funded opponents.

In a contest with a large field of candidates, Muddleford only won with 17% of the vote -- hardly a mandate. 

However, under North Ceona law, there is no minimum threshold a candidate must attain in a primary election. Whichever candidate wins a plurality, no matter how small, wins the primary election and their party's nomination. 

Put simply, the candidate that wins the most votes, no matter how small the percentage of the total votes, advances to the general election in the fall.

At his election-night speech at a wine bar in the upscale suburb of Lea Hills, southeast of Parkins, Muddleford pledged to bring the state NAT party together.

"This is not just the Tom Muddleford campaign. This is the campaign for all Nationalists and all working-class people who believe in good government, who believe in the value of government; to help lift people out of poverty; to protect women's rights over their own bodies; to empower families of all kinds, not just the ones that look traditional. This campaign is for people who support all of those ideas and values," Muddleford said.

The day after North Ceona's primary election, Muddleford moved quickly to select his running mate. He asked Susie Forszak, CEO of Forward Industries, a major aeronautics company head-quartered in the northeast suburbs of Parkins, to join his ticket as his candidate for lieutenant governor.

Within just two days after the primary, Muddleford had already secured endorsements from all of his previous NAT challengers.

"Tom Muddleford is the right man to beat Ty Jaimeson and the radical Conservative agenda in Parkins," said Lexerna businessman John Thurgood, who finished second in the primary.

Lawyer Blair Elliott, also of Lexerna, likewise heaped praise on Muddleford.

"I am happy and proud to endorse Tom Muddleford for governor. He is an experienced and well-qualified candidate who has dedicated years of public service to helping the people of North Ceona," said Elliott.

State Sen. Katie Pollock, of south Parkins, who was reportedly also under consideration to be Muddleford's lieutenant governor, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that she would "happily" work to get Muddleford elected.

"North Ceona needs Tom Muddleford. He fights for low-income North Ceonans, he fights for women, he fights for minorities, he fights for LGBTQ+ folks...he is the leader North Ceona needs right now," said Pollock.

Fellow challengers Sajid Roushan, Lisa Campion and Tom Denton issued similar statements congratulating Muddleford and vowing to assist his campaign.

Despite the diverse coalition Muddleford quickly assembled, his race against Jaimeson will still be an uphill battle.

The young governor, who is seeking a second term, remains popular. 

Jaimeson has good relations with state legislators and local officials across the state, he has largely avoided controversial social issues, and hasn't made any serious gaffes, unlike his Conservative counterpart Mark Ellsworth in neighboring East Deschire.

Jaimeson also has a large bank account. As of the last campaign finance report, he had raised $8.1 million, with $6.6 million in cash-on-hand.

Muddleford has raised $4.3 million so far, with about $900,000 in cash-on-hand.

Supporters of Muddleford say that, while the Senate Minority Leader is behind in the money race, now that he has won the party's nomination, the donations will pour in.

"Tom Muddleford is winning support from Nationalists all over North Ceona and beyond," Pat Riley, chair of the North Ceona Nationalist Party, told the STAR Network. "I look for the money gap to narrow significantly over the next month."

Still, Jaimeson remains the favorite. While the governor only narrowly won his last contest in 2020, he enjoys high approval ratings, he avoided a nasty primary fight with his own party, and the conservative tilt of North Ceona electoral politics is in his favor.

The last Jaimeson-Muddleford poll, conducted before Muddleford secured the NAT nomination, had Jaimeson leading with 53% to Muddleford's 46%, respectively.

"This race is by no means a sure thing, but at this point, Ty Jaimeson remains in the lead and continues to have the advantage," political scientist Rod Snyder told the STAR Network, noting that a lot could change in the next three months.

If Muddleford does pull off an upset against Jaimeson, Muddleford will become the state's first NAT governor.

***North Ceona Primary Election for Governor -- NAT -- Unofficial Results***

149,452	119,869	132,491	102,463	84,270	65,203	95,406	87,952
17.85%	14.32%	15.83%	12.24%	10.07%	7.79%	11.40%	10.51%
Muddleford	Forszak	Thurgood	Pollock	Campion	Denton	Elliott	Roushan

Shannon noncommittal on Azurjean vs Dawes race

MADAGEN, Mar. -- Marchenay Gov. Mike Shannon is not taking sides in the state's contested Senate primary election, he announced Monday.

Shannon, a Conservative, had been asked repeatedly if he would back fellow Conservative businessman Burke Azurjean for federal Senate, or Conservative Assemblywoman Marsha Dawes.

Both Azurjean and Dawes are vying for the party's nomination to take on NAT Sen. Heidi Wolmach, who is up for reelection in the fall.

Dawes, a longtime assemblywoman with strong conservative credentials from southern Marchenay, was the first to declare her candidacy for the seat. She has received endorsements from the more right-wing side of the party.

Azurjean, a moderate who previously ran unsuccessfully against Shannon for governor back in 2022, is seen as a centrist candidate who could better appeal to independent and swing voters. However, Azurjean entered the race after Dawes, and there is concern among party leaders that he may not be able to win over the party's most loyal voters in next week's primary election.

When asked which candidate he is supporting, Gov. Shannon said he would "be happy either way."

"They're both great candidates. I've known Marsha for years and she's been a great assembly member for her district. Burke Azurjean is also a great conservative mind who would represent our state well. So I really don't think you can go wrong with either one," said Shannon to a group of reporters at the National Robotics Convention at the Madagen Convention Center.

The governor was at the convention speaking to leaders in the robotics industry.

Both Azurjean and Dawes have been highlighting their closeness with Shannon, who is seen as the leader of Marchenay's Conservative Party.

"Ever since Mike Shannon beat me in the 2022 governor's race, I've worked to get him elected and to enact his conservative, constitution-focused agenda," said Azurjean, in a recent campaign TV commercial.

Dawes, meanwhile, has pointed out that her voting record has strongly overlapped with Shannon's when Shannon was in the state Senate.

"I am proud to support the same policies and rights that Mike Shannon has fought for. I am a proud gun owner, a strong advocate for small businesses and lower taxes, a strong advocate for healthy, traditional families, and a fierce opponent of the federal government overreaching and telling Marchenayans how to live their lives," Dawes said in her own campaign commercial.

A spokesperson for the governor repeated that, while both candidates may imply or suggest he is backing their campaign, the governor is in fact remaining neutral.

"Gov. Shannon supports both Burke Azurjean and Marsha Dawes equally. He is not taking a side. They are both strong, reliable Conservative leaders, and the governor would be delighted to see either one in the federal Senate. He believes both candidates are superior to Heidi Wolmach and can beat her in November," said John Dulaney, a spokesperson for the governor's office.

Among the high-profile groups supporting Azurjean are the Grassadellia Chamber of Commerce, the Marchenay Association of Industry and Business, and Bridge Builders, a good-governance group that advocates for bipartisanship.

Dawes has been endorsed by the National Rifle Club, the Grassadellian Conservative Union, and the Grassadellian Farmers Alliance.

In the money race, Azurjean has raised significantly more money for his campaign, about $7 million so far. However, $3 million of that came from his own pocket. As a multi-millionaire, he has deep pockets he can tap for additional campaign funds. Azurjean currently has $2.1 million in cash-on-hand.

Dawes is not as fortunate. Her net worth is significantly smaller. However, the assemblywoman has strong financial support from many major players in the conservative political arena. She has raised $4.3 million for her campaign so far. Dawes has $1.1 million in cash-on-hand.

Marchenay's other top Conservatives, federal senators Sidney Leeland and Megan Sellious, are also remaining neutral in the Azurjean-Dawes contest.

Federal Sen. Kathy Bernanski (N) is also up for reelection this fall. However, only Conservative State Rep. David LaSaria is running, unopposed, on the CNS side.

Wolmach's race is rated as a toss-up by most political prognosticators, while Bernanski's race is rated either safely NAT or NAT-leaning.

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.