NationStates

Posted: **Tue Dec 17, 2019 2:38 pm**

Epilogue

Alois Kramer, the Senator for the state of Alabama, came 2nd in the Republican Presidential Primaries, winning 39% of votes. The Senator had been well aware that his was an uphill battle but he didn't care, defeat came gracefully to him and he focused on representing Alabama in the Senate for what would be his final term in Washington D.C.

Kramer soon settled down briefly with his wife and 4 children, deciding to enjoy his delayed time as a parent. However, he was drafted into running for Governor in 2022 to replace his predecessor, Jeff Beauregard. He managed to win both the primary with 56% of the vote and the general with a relatively narrow 53%. Contrary to popular belief however, Governor Kramer acted fairly moderately with little of the controversies that dogged his Senate career, with attempts at working across the aisle to subsidise businesses in deprived areas of the state and foster minority entrepreneurship, efforts for which he received praise in the state for. He was re-elected with 57% of the vote in 2026.

After leaving the Governor's Mansion, Kramer settled down and kept to himself, only occasionally commenting on political issues in his characteristic style, mostly instead spending time with the family he had longed for. The story of Alois Kramer ended on where it began, in Hamilton, Alabama on September 12th 2045, when he died of natural causes 2 months after his 100th birthday. Despite his controversial politics and image, the people of Alabama deeply mourned the passing of a man with a combined total of 62 years devotion to public service, he is buried in his hometown.

Posted: **Fri Jan 03, 2020 11:21 pm**

Epilogue

Tony Schlang would go on to narrowly win his 2017 gubernatorial race, thanks to a groundswell of support against the Reed administration. Only a month into his term he would be indicted by federal courts on charges of aggravated assault, following which he promptly resigned. The trial ended with a guilty verdict, and he is currently serving out his sentence in federal prison, from which he plots his next political comeback and thanks God for the fact that his murders went undiscovered.

Reginaldo Alphonsey would never quite find his stride in the Senate, with most of his legislative proposals failing and few allies made. However, he would become a national figure, a passionate progressive voice in the mold of Paul Wellstone or Bernie Sanders. in 2019 he would help to orchestrate the successful merger of the Democratic and Progressive parties, and emerge as a front runner in the 2020 Democratic primary. While he was not elected president and would retire from the senate in 2022, he would become a major activist against corruption and in favor of voting rights and electoral reform, inspiring a wave of progress that would result in the sweeping election reform package of 2034. He would be remembered as an influential figure despite his brief time in elected politics.

Moses Clearwater was elected governor of Virginia in 2017, and was able to accomplish most of his electoral promises, earning him great popularity. He would go on to serve as Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State under two different Democratic administrations, remaining in political office until the ripe age of 80, viewed by many as an elder statesman. His scandals of the early aughts would be forgotten, and he would go on to be remembered by most people more for the movies based on his books and their remakes than for his time as a politician. Many did not even remember they were the same person. But most importantly, his mother would be proud of him and his family would go on to forgive him.

Thomas Stevenson would have a troubled tenure as Secretary of State, dealing with crises in the Middle East and failing to answer the Turkish question. His mixed legacy would leave him as a forgotten politician, and he would never again run for president.

Rod Johnson was elected to the Senate in 2017, and was elected as President of the United States in 2032. His presidency would be remembered fondly for the century of economic prosperity, progressive government reform, and global peace it would usher in. Secretary of Peace and former Vice President Donald Johnson would be remembered as influential in the early years of the administration.

Susanna Harrington was elected as Speaker of the House in 2026, after which she was remembered as a successful opponent of progressive policies and a defender of Republican principles. Her loss to Rod Johnson in 2032 would be remembered as one of the most shocking defeats in American presidential history.

Posted: **Sat Jan 04, 2020 11:43 am**

The Actual Epilogue

Heavy OOC Note: If you want to have Taylor Cox, a corrupt mayor who had broke the simple rules of politics and became the laughingstock of the western Republican scene, have a "happy" ending, I strongly advise that you read this post and just stop there. This post details what happens after the supposed epilogue, where it details a bit of Cox's life after the events depicted in the IC.

Posted: **Sat Jan 04, 2020 5:07 pm**

After a botched bid at the Democratic nominee for President, Joh Stansky returned to state-level politics in New Jersey. In the wake of Schlang's scandal, Stansky was able to be elected the Governor of New Jersey in his wake. His administration oversaw one of the largest investments in infrastructure, education, transportation and healthcare that the state had ever seen. Although running up incredible levels of state debt, Joh Stansky was able to improve educational outcomes, reduce crime and provide universal healthcare. At the end of his first term, he announced that he would not seek re-election, but endorsed his wife (Julia Stansky) for the Governership.

Dianna Noble was arrested for her involvement in the shooting at Dillon, Montana. She lived the majority of her days in a maximum security prison until she was released on bail. Shunned by both the right and the left, Noble found no friends. This consequently lead to her death at a Walmart in Buffalo, Wyoming; shot dead by a family member of one of the victims. Noble's brother-in-law organised the funeral, under strict security, in her home and was buried in her backyard.

Patricia Waterfield won the New York Senate election in 2017 and earned her position as one of the few Progressive Senators in the Senate. There she pursued a moderate agenda, while mainly pushing for environmental reform and support for action on climate change. She was known to be very diplomatic in the Senate, with an emphasis on co-operating with Democrats and Republicans alike. However, her closeness to these people and her establishment leaning brought ire from the left-wing of the Progressive Party. Waterfield was usurped when re-contesting the senate seat during the progressive primary by a young bartender called Alejandro Ofella-Castro. Mr Castro ran on a democratic socialist platform, outperforming Waterfield in New York City. After he loss, she was hired by MSNBC to be a political commentator.

Posted: **Sun Jan 05, 2020 12:09 pm**

Epilogue

Glen Anderson served 2 terms as Governor of Pennsylvania and had a massive success turning around its economy and turned its education program into the envy of the country. He would run for President in 2024 and win a narrow victory while losing the popular vote. He based his Presidency on Eisenhower and dedicated himself to unifying the country. He enjoyed a good economy but his chief contribution was educational reform, creating a nationwide system of Education Savings Accounts which had a massive impact on improving the education of the United States. He and his wife Amanda retired to Pennsylvania and he lived to the age of 98, still very active and working to advance world peace and education throughout his retirement.

Simon Denisevich continued to serve throughout Reed’s first term and guided him to re-election in 2020 though he retired shortly after. After a major cancer battle he was selected to fill a vacancy in the Senate for 5 years but choose not to run for election. He is fondly remembered and work for a number of charities with his wife and 3 children.

Zachary Fowler continued as a liberal Republican until 2022 when he decided not to run for re-election against the resurgence Democratic party. He took a teaching job at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont until 2024 when he ran for Governor and won a large victory. He continued as Governor and was well regarded until retiring in 2034 and taking a job at the Heritage Foundation until 2040 when he served as Secretary of the Treasury in the Republican administration.

Michael Emberton authored a major Appalachian Revitalization bill that pumped billions into the region and revolutionized it for a Green economy. He would retire after capping of his career with the major victory and die shortly after, buried next to his wife. Statues would be built in his honor and a number of government building named after him. His legacy secure

Jason Samara won his Senate bid in the Massachusetts special and was elected again in 2018. He and Reginaldo Alphonsey would work tirelessly to re-merge the Democratic and Progressive parties in 2019 winning him much good will and while he was considered a contender in the 2020 Democratic primary he decided not to run. He stayed in Massachusetts and built a political dynasty with his children and family members occupying a number of key positions in the state over the decades having influence second only to the Kennedys.

Jane Martinez would lose her bid to become Governor of Colorado and then settle into her position as a state senator eventually become the Senate Majority leader and leading the state through an energy revolution.

Posted: **Sun Jan 05, 2020 1:04 pm**

Epilogue

After the Democratic-Progressive merger of 2019 Maine Senator John Kingston would serve the remaining year of his term in the Senate as an Independent. He would retire from politics in 2020, choosing to focus on developing his father's real estate business. His wife Mary Kingston would dedicate herself to the Kingston Foundation, turning the desperate attempt at winning a political argument into a respectable organization providing help to numerous victims of sexual crimes across the country.

Katharine Hobbes would continue her work at WNN until the 2020 scandal put an end to the short-lived news outlet. During her three years on the network Hobbes would try her best to change her public persona, steering away from her inflammatory style of the past. Katharine co-operated with the authorities during the investigation into the actions of WNN's management. Hobbes would stay away from media for the next two years, becoming a Fox News anchor in 2022. That very same year Hobbes moved to NYC. She would go on to write a number of books, making her a New York Times bestselling author.

In 2018, Joanne Winslow's shock announcement stunned the nation. The Senate Majority Leader admitted to her complicated medical history, before resigning her position in the majority caucus. She would retire from the Senate all together in 2019, leaving behind a mixed and laregly unnoticeable legacy. She would die in 2020, with her funeral being attended by a number of national-level politicians, most notably the then-incumbent President Calvin Reed of Montana who, despite the ineffective nature of Winslow's tenure, called her a great stateswoman and a friend. In the subsequent years the reputation of the deceased Senator would see an improvement, eventually leading to her having a newly built senate office building named after her. Her critics would go on to say that her improved reputation was "unearned", but those voices would mostly end up being drowned out.

Henry Caldwell welcomed the Progressives back into the Democratic party with great joy. Becoming the House Progressive Caucus chairman after the retirement of Nicole T. Smith, he would provide House Progressives
with guidance and advice. He considered a presidential run in 2024, but decided against it. He would retire two years later citing old age and fatigue as main factors. During his retirement he would write a popular autobiography in which he described his tenure during one of the most turbulent times in American politics. Viewed by many younger, progressive politicians as a father or even grandfather figure he would keep in touch with many of them. He spent his last years in Vermont dedicating the majority of his time to his grand children.

John P. L. Malinowski would go on to win an easy victory in the congressional election held in New York's 12th district. His campaign marked a major turning point in the Democratic-Progressive relations with John being nominated for the seat by both parties in the general election. In the House, Malinowski would co-sponsor a number of progressive bills he campaigned for. Him and his long time boyfriend Christopher would eventually grow apart and break up. John would later on marry one of his long-time friends who helped him kick-start his 2018 campaign among other things. At first, the relationship would be met with scepticism and critique, but would not eventually lead to a major scandal. Despite his high profile, especially among young voters, his career would not go far beyond the House.

Michael Smith's 2018 gubernatorial run would prove successful. In a surprising announcement he declared his intention to seek the Republican nomination for the general election. He would go on to win the nomination of the Republican party in one of the greatest political upsets in American political history, his victory being a result of a backlash against the inactive Governor Kiser. Running as the Republican nominee in a red state he went on to win the general election with ease. His only term in the Governor's Mansion would prove to be difficult, however. Smith, a political radical and Texan nationalist, attempted to seceede from the Union, but was eventually impeached and removed from office by the Texas legislature. He went on to live in obscurity, never seeking political office again.

Posted: **Sun Jan 05, 2020 8:17 pm**

Epilogue

Benjamin Sizemore remained employed by CBS as a political analyst and contributor, creating noteworthy journalism while still never making a name for himself in the way he desired. He was fired just prior to the 2020 election for reasons that were never made public; what had happened was he had gotten into a screaming match with his boss after discovering that he was yet again getting denied the chance to cover a big story. With the reasons for his firing never made public, he was able to remain employed, bouncing between jobs until the late 2020s, when his journalism career was ultimately felled by a scandal involving him reportedly sleeping with a source to acquire information. With no one willing to employ him, he retired in disgrace to his home in Los Angeles, where he spent his spare time maintaining his mildly popular blog and keeping a presence on social media. Sizemore died in 2036 in a car crash, his ambitions for journalistic glory never realized.

The undying loyalty to Calvin Reed didn't pay off for Fred Granden, who never quite recovered from the cranky old grandpa image projected onto him after his infamous Twitter tirade. After some mildly effective damage control, Granden narrowly won re-election to the House in 2020, but the man who had once been content representing his district began to yearn for more. After Reed was re-elected, he privately expressed his desire for a Cabinet position in Reed's second term. But Reed couldn't get over the angry grandpa image, and Granden was turned down. Bitter and disillusioned with the party, he declined to run for re-election in 2022 and retired to his home in Kansas with his wife, where he lived a quiet remainder of his existence.
But the political journey of his daughter, Jane Campbell, was just beginning. She, a Democrat, decided to run for her Republican father's empty House seat in 2022 and won, primarily because Kansas was beginning to shift to the left, and her district was no exception. She then leveraged her growing popularity into a bid for the Kansas Senate seat up for re-election in 2026 and again won. She made a name for herself in the 2030s as a Senator for being instrumental in the passage of numerous big pieces of legislation, and many considered her a front runner for the Presidency in 2040 should she choose to run. Ultimately, she decided to do just that, and she was a strong candidate - relatable, experienced and accomplished with a strong platform, a background in law and few prominent skeletons in her closet. She won the Democratic nomination fairly easily and eventually took the general election, too, in a historic victory that made her the first woman to have won the highest political office in the land of the free. Her two term Presidency was imperfect but notable, primarily for significant legislative achievements on the issues of immigration and climate change as well as an increase in America's international standing. She remained popular with the people throughout and after her presidency, and most historians consider her to have been a strong President.
All the while, Fred was watching his daughter, proud of her accomplishments despite their differing politics but still bitter that he hadn't found the same success. He considered his long political career a missed opportunity, one that he had been deprived of by the GOP, the political system, and perhaps fate itself. He died the day after the 2044 election, when Jane was re-elected to her second term as POTUS. When those who knew him best look back upon his life, they can't help but feel sorrow over the fact that his legacy will forever be his daughter and not his own political career.

As he had wanted to do, Jason Pross eventually launched a primary challenge to Calvin Reed in 2020. The campaign flopped catastrophically, primarily because of his failed bet that Reed would be unpopular enough that Republicans would want an alternative, combined with his failure to improve his image with conservatives. He dropped out early enough to run for re-election in his House seat, but he couldn't overcome his deep unpopularity with Republicans and lost in the primaries badly. But his senior adviser and close friend Nathan Gregorson had an idea to try to keep him politically relevant. He spent the next half-decade as a pundit on cable news, often criticizing the Reed administration and beginning to express a receptiveness to some of the Democrats' platform. In late 2025, Pross made a shock announcement: he was running for the West Virginia U.S. Senate seat up for election in 2026 - as a Democrat. Pross, having formally switched party affiliations earlier that year, began to present himself as a conservative Democrat in the vein of [not-Joe Manchin] who had left the Republican Party due to what he called a "cult-like reverence for a man who deserved none of it." His message began to resonate with Democrats and even some Republicans as a result of his transparency about his past, his genuine nature, and his charisma. Perhaps it was those factors (or a lack of other serious candidates) that led to Pross winning the Democratic primary, but no one has yet figured out what it was that led West Virginia voters to choose Pross over the decently popular Republican incumbent in 2026 - a shocking upset.
What seemed like the potential revival of his political career, however, became the official death knell of it over time. Pross's long held frustrations with the two party system bubbled back to the surface after a series of events that soured him on the party, including what he saw as a disturbing amount of influence the party let lobbyists have, as well as numerous failures to get party support for his legislations and to gain more influence in the party. Pross's ambition for office was privately stomped out as his quarrels with party leadership began to spill into the public, ultimately culminating with Pross holding a press conference in early 2031 where he announced his departure from the Democratic Party and that he would not be running for re-election in 2032. The youthful ambition, the big dreams of change, all of the hopes for political reform that he'd had when he first took office - all of it had been crushed by the soulless political machine of America.
After his quiet exit from politics, Pross did some brief work as a pundit before realizing his heart wasn't in it anymore, and he returned to his West Virginia home in a small town with his wife. He eventually wrote a mildly popular book on his political experiences, but aside from that he never came close to politics for years, choosing to abandon social media and the news in favor of living the small town life. He became popular with the locals and, after deciding to take one last stab at elected office, was decisively elected mayor by the townspeople. He spent the rest of his days devoting his time to helping the place and people he had fallen in love with. He died at the ripe old age of 74, still in office and still beloved, and a grand funeral was held for him by the town's populace.
He died a man who had never gotten close to achieving his goals, and in that sense he died a regretful man. But he had also found a life he loved more than the one he'd left, and in that sense he died a fulfilled man. He had found satisfaction in his little rural town, in a bubble, while American politics crushed the soul of the rest of the nation. But nonetheless, despite the crushed dreams and abandoned ambitions, Jason Pross had found his place.

Posted: **Tue Apr 07, 2020 10:48 pm**

Epilogue

Scotty Marlowe would see his first term as Mayor off to a rocky start, with his once endearing charisma failing to change minds in a gridlocked city government. Similarly, his wife Emma Marlowe would see herself cast into a similarly difficult position, as her husband's decision to become a Progressive severely cut her family's ties to the Democratic machine in California. Nonetheless, the decision proved a viable one and soon after, the Progressives possessed a foothold throughout California. With the help of Sen. Alphonsey, the Marlowes proved to a powerful couple in restructuring the Democratic and Progressive Party. In 2022, Scotty won a second term and oversaw massive reform throughout the city, helping usher in a new meaning of a 'green' city in terms of his bold initiatives to address the contributions to climate change L.A. produced. Similarly, Emma Marlowe saw herself enter the world stage and in 2022, similarly won a Senate seat in California. Eventually, after two terms whole terms, Emma would finally succeed her husband as Governor of California he would retire, officially announcing his final service to his state was over, despite being courted to run for President dozens of times and his wife another dozen more.

Julie Mondale would see herself leave as Ohio's Governor in 2018, term-limited and unable to run again. She almost settled on retiring when she was courted by the Republican Party to become a Senator. Choosing to believe it was fate and her civic duty, she ran an uphill primary battle against Sen. Ryan Carter, causing a fierce campaign that she eventually won. But with a reunited Democratic party, she saw her own chances slip away with a renewed vigor among the party. Mondale would accept defeat in the same year, ending her time as a Governor with grace and retiring from public life. Julie would find herself becoming a professor at the Ohio State University and eventually Miami University, living out the rest of her days in peace. She would never regret her time in politics but would often reminisce on what could have been, enjoying to think of the possibilities. Rumors swirled that she was courted to potentially enter politics once more but given her advanced age, she chose to stay where she was. Eventually, she retired from teaching and managed a small garden for the rest of her life.

Jeremy Beaumont would see himself appointed as Secretary of Commerce following a major battle in the Senate, though one the Republicans eventually agreed to support with Democratic support. He sought to follow the Reed mandate and worked diligently to oversee an overhaul of trade and regulations. But eventually, Beaumont's own radicalization that had cost him the nomination cost him his job as he released an op-ed critiquing some of the deals Reed wished to implement. Submitting his resignation, Beaumont would not return to politics. He would remain a powerful financial contributor though would begin to skew leftward, eventually a strong and reliable financial backer for many in the Democratic Party. Beaumont would retire from his business, spending the remainder of his time as a traveling consultant, welcoming many foreigners with his knowledge. He would suffer a stroke at 70, ending his career as he was abroad in rural China, delaying immediate care that would cost him his life.

Josephine Stafford would see herself become a pivotal Democratic party, arguable the strongest non-office holder given her rapid fundraising ability and unquestionable legitimacy. She would prove critical to defending many Democratic strongholds in the 2018 midterms. Similarly, she oversaw much of the merger of the Progressive and Democratic parties, offering her own guidance and being the largest sole contributor to the party, donating the entirety of her funds to the party. In early 2020, she died of natural causes and old age in her home in Michigan, mere hours after the death of her husband. She would see herself honored at the new party's convention the same year with dozens of politicians giving her homage. She would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously and with major ceremonies across Washington D.C. and Detroit, her death would mark a pivotal moment in the elections. Her memory continues to be honored with a donation to create the Stafford Memorial Library in Detroit that consistently provides grants to black businesses across the state as well as honored through Stafford's List, a leftwing organization intent on supporting women of color running for office.

Marli O would see herself win a surprising election for New York Senate, called a political fluke though greatly helped by a surprise endorsement from President Reed and an acknowledgment by Fmr. Sen. Stafford. The Progressive and Democratic vote also resulted in a major split, thus leading to her election to serve out the term until 2020. She would see herself challenged on all sides for her style of dress and political beliefs, becoming a split vote throughout her tenure and a difficult GOP senator to whip. Nonetheless, Marli O would continue to produce money and was subject to investigations which accused her of abusing her position for money and fame. Still, she began to develop a strong following for both her music, politics, and style. She chose to not run for reelection, giving the reformed Democrats the chance to win again despite polls having her winning once again. Instead, Marli became a powerful TV show host and political commentator as the new and first female host of a late-night talk show, becoming the successor to the Marlowes and a political force for many centrists. She built her brand as an example of exactly what it means anyone can be President and became a Republican kingmaker in New York and many liberal bastions.

As for others...

CEO and Libertarian candidate Cassandra Arumb would see herself exit politics gracefully, enjoying private life far better managing her business.

New York Representative Eleanor McCrosky would see herself ousted in the 2018 midterms by a leftwing challenger, returning to teaching but this time at Columbia University.

Progressive organizer Noemie Thatcher would oversee the rise of Massachusett's homegrown Progressive movement but divided by the merger with the Democratic party, she continued to support left-wing challengers until Progressive party officials saw her removal in late 2018.

Iowa Attorney General Alexander Valencia would see himself at the center of dozens of investigations, eventually leading to his ousting in 2018 and subsequent jail time, though he escaped relatively unharmed due to political connections.

And the surviving members of Albert Winston's family would see themselves exit the public spotlight overtime, with none of the Winston family returning to politics until his grandchild, Robert Yates-Winston would eventually see himself elected to Governor of California several decades later.

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Washington 2017: The U.S. Political RP IC-Volume II (OPEN)