Twilight's Last Gleaming: An American Political RP OOC (Open

[Zohiania]

He is not far off from Joe Manchin on many of the issues you take issue with, but he is way more pro-green. I wanted him to be an independent candidate, but PA is a pretty moderate state, and I could see a Joe Manchin type democrat winning in PA.

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documen ... y-platform

The comparison has a few problems though:

1. Manchin was Governor before being Senator, and he succeeded Democratic governor Bob Wise back in 2003 when WV was Democratic-leaning on economic issues
2. Manchin isn't Muslim post-911
3. Pennsylvania isn't West Virginia, because West Virginia's Democratic voters (or Republicans that vote Manchin) are rural union workers, whereas in Pennsylvania, the rural union workers trend GOP and the Democratic party is led by liberals in Philadelphia that would strap Zahir to a railroad track over his views.

I agree there are differences, I mean Zahir is more left/liberal on environmental issues and immigration. And Zahir is more aligned with the Democratic Platform of 2004 than Manchin was at the time. But I am open to changing one or two positions if needed. The union one, but I don't think many of his views are necessary counter to the Democratic platform even though he was intended to be more of an independent candidate.

[Yaruqo]

The comparison has a few problems though:

1. Manchin was Governor before being Senator, and he succeeded Democratic governor Bob Wise back in 2003 when WV was Democratic-leaning on economic issues
2. Manchin isn't Muslim post-911
3. Pennsylvania isn't West Virginia, because West Virginia's Democratic voters (or Republicans that vote Manchin) are rural union workers, whereas in Pennsylvania, the rural union workers trend GOP and the Democratic party is led by liberals in Philadelphia that would strap Zahir to a railroad track over his views.

I agree there are differences, I mean Zahir is more left/liberal on environmental issues and immigration. And Zahir is more aligned with the Democratic Platform of 2004 than Manchin was at the time. But I am open to changing one or two positions if needed. The union one, but I don't think many of his views are necessary counter to the Democratic platform even though he was intended to be more of an independent candidate.

I have done a little more digging - there is precedent for a more socially conservative Dem winning in 2006 (at the time, Bob Casey Jr. was anti-abortion, pro-gun rights). However, he had a lot of name recognition in Pennsylvania, thanks in part to a long political career, which ensured he had a lot of support from the Democratic Party machines during the primary, which might have offset any misgivings Democratic voters might have had initially.

http://old.post-gazette.com/pg/06128/688317-177.stm

Here is my recommendation: you can either change some background information for this character to give him more prior political experience (might even require aging up and new character model), or change some of his policy positions (probably on abortion or guns) to make him more appealing to Democratic primary voters. But I also want more information on his general election campaign against NotSantorum. Casey had name recognition and a competitive platform compared to Santorum, your guy so far only has an “independent streak.” How does he manage to unite Democratic voters behind him? How does he manage to win over swing voters?

[Kargintinia]

Discord not working for anyone else?

[The Sarangtus Lands]

Discord not working for anyone else?

Yep, same here.

[Dentali]

The comparison has a few problems though:

1. Manchin was Governor before being Senator, and he succeeded Democratic governor Bob Wise back in 2003 when WV was Democratic-leaning on economic issues
2. Manchin isn't Muslim post-911
3. Pennsylvania isn't West Virginia, because West Virginia's Democratic voters (or Republicans that vote Manchin) are rural union workers, whereas in Pennsylvania, the rural union workers trend GOP and the Democratic party is led by liberals in Philadelphia that would strap Zahir to a railroad track over his views.

I agree there are differences, I mean Zahir is more left/liberal on environmental issues and immigration. And Zahir is more aligned with the Democratic Platform of 2004 than Manchin was at the time. But I am open to changing one or two positions if needed. The union one, but I don't think many of his views are necessary counter to the Democratic platform even though he was intended to be more of an independent candidate.

Okay full stop a Muslim isn't going to be elected to the senate. Please stop trying

[Yaruqo]

I agree there are differences, I mean Zahir is more left/liberal on environmental issues and immigration. And Zahir is more aligned with the Democratic Platform of 2004 than Manchin was at the time. But I am open to changing one or two positions if needed. The union one, but I don't think many of his views are necessary counter to the Democratic platform even though he was intended to be more of an independent candidate.

Okay full stop a Muslim isn't going to be elected to the senate. Please stop trying

@Zohiania please note what Dent said. There isn’t anything stopping you from revising the application to create, say, a Muslim Congressman in the US House, but I do agree with what he says re: a Muslim not being able to win a statewide election, especially to the Senate.

[Yaruqo]

Folks, it is currently March 2007. The iPhone has not been released yet, and won’t be released for another three months. While these little details aren’t make-or-break, I would encourage you guys to go the extra mile and be sure to stay informed about the period we are in for the sake of immersion.

[Melovinta]

Folks, it is currently March 2007. The iPhone has not been released yet, and won’t be released for another three months. While these little details aren’t make-or-break, I would encourage you guys to go the extra mile and be sure to stay informed about the period we are in for the sake of immersion.

Yeah, my bad. I'll make sure to pay attention to the dates next time.

[Madrinpoor]

Folks, it is currently March 2007. The iPhone has not been released yet, and won’t be released for another three months. While these little details aren’t make-or-break, I would encourage you guys to go the extra mile and be sure to stay informed about the period we are in for the sake of immersion.

2007 in United States (March 10th - 17th)

March 15 – Rebecca Klein is murdered in Villa Park, Illinois by her domestic partner Nicole Abusharif. Klein was bound and suffocated, with the perpetrator standing to benefit from a life insurance payout as a result of the crime.
March 16 – For the first time in the 23-year history of the modern version of the popular gameshow, Jeopardy!, a three-way tie occurs.
Prior Events

January
January 4
William J. Fallon succeeds Gen. John Abizaid as the head of Central Command in Iraq.
Nancy Pelosi becomes the first female Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
January 9
War in Somalia: U.S. warplanes conduct air strikes in Somalia against suspected terrorists.
Steve Jobs publicly announces the release of the first iPhone.
January 10 – The Iraq War troop surge begins.
January 12 – The U.S. Embassy in Athens is attacked with a rocket propelled grenade, which causes minimal damage and no injuries.
January 28 – A battle between insurgents and U.S.-backed Iraqi troops kills 300 suspected resistance members in Najaf, Iraq.
January 30
Microsoft releases Windows Vista and Office 2007.
A convenience store in Ghent, West Virginia, explodes due to a propane leak, killing four people and injuring several others.
January 31
Delta Air Lines creditors officially reject US Airways' hostile takeover bid.
The Mooninite scare occurs in Boston when devices used in a guerrilla marketing campaign for the animated television series Aqua Teen Hunger Force are mistaken for improvised explosive devices.

February
February 2 – An unseasonal tornado in central Florida kills at least 20 people.
February 10 – Senator Barack Obama of Illinois declares his candidacy for President of the United States of America.
February 12 – Gunman Sulejman Talović shoots and kills five people at the Trolley Square Mall in Salt Lake City, Utah, before being killed by the police, bringing the evening's rampage death toll to six.
February 25 – The 79th Academy Awards ceremony, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, is held at Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. Martin Scorsese's The Departed wins four awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Bill Condon's Dreamgirls leads the nominations with eight. The telecast garners over 39.9 million viewers.
February 27 – 2007 Bagram Air Base bombing: A Taliban suicide attack at Bagram Air Base while Vice President of the United States Dick Cheney is visiting kills 23, but he is not injured.
February 28 – The New Horizons space probe makes a gravitational slingshot against Jupiter which changes its trajectory towards Pluto.

March
March 6 – Mega Millions sets a new world record for the highest lottery jackpot of $370 million.

Politics in 2007

January 1st
Bulgaria and Romania join the European Union.
South Korea's Ban Ki-moon becomes the new UN Secretary-General, replacing Kofi Annan.
Irish (also known as Gaeilge) becomes an official working language of the European Union.
Slovenia adopts the Euro as its official currency, replacing the tolar.
Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva starts his second government term.
2nd - Memorial services are held for the late president Gerald Ford in Washington, D.C.
3rd - Former U.S. president Gerald Ford is laid to rest in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
4th - The 110th United States Congress is sworn in.
9th - Far-right politicians in the European Parliament form a new trans-national caucus.
10th - Following the 2006 general election, Daniel Ortega becomes the new President of Nicaragua.
11th - Austria's new government is sworn in under Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer (SPÖ) and Vice-Chancellor Wilhelm Molterer (ÖVP).
14th - The Union for a Popular Movement nominates Nicolas Sarkozy as its candidate to become the next President of France in the 2007 French presidential election.
15th - Rafael Correa becomes President of Ecuador, replacing Alfredo Palacio
16th
Hans-Gert Pöttering, a German conservative politician becomes the President of the European Parliament.
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev nominates Felix Kulov for Prime Minister.
18th - The United States Senate passes ethics and lobbying reform legislation.
20th - Senator Hillary Clinton announces her intention to run for President of the United States in next year's election.
21st - An election in Serbia gives Ultra-nationalists 81 of the 250 seats in the Serbian Parliament.
22nd - Muqtada al-Sadr ends his boycott of the Iraqi political process and rejoins the government.

February
February 22 - In the Netherlands the fourth Balkenende cabinet is installed by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

Courtesy of Alozia

[The Orion Islands]

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[img]<Photo%20of%20Applicant%20Here>[/img]

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Character Application and Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: The Orion Islands
Character Name: Everitt Rigby Colbert
Character Gender: Male
Character Age: 50
Character Height: 5 feet, 11 inches
Character Weight: 215 pounds
Character Position/Role/Job: United States Senator
Character Country/State of Birth: Wyoming
Character State of Residence: Wyoming
Character Party Affiliation: Republican
Faceclaim: Jon Tester
Main Strengths: Military experience, long term state government experience, Well liked in Wyoming, Strong willed
Main Weaknesses: Younger than most in DC, very emotional, establishment, somewhat on the outs with the GOP for opposing the invasion of Iraq and overt willingness to work with Democrats
Biography: Everitt was born outside of Casper to a family of small-time ranchers. Raised in a Catholic household, he was raised with a deep appreciation of the American political tradition and traditional American culture. He had emotional problems during school stemming from his father's death at age 10, but he finished high school third in his class. He attended the University of Wyoming, where he almost failed out in the first month. On the advice of a friend, he tried out for football. Coach Fred Akers provided him with the mentorship needed to continue, and he had close relationships with successors Bill Lewis and Pat Dye. He also started at free safety his redshirt junior and senior years. He eventually graduated 10th in his class, with a degree in petroleum engineering. Everitt worked at the Sinclair refinery outside of Casper for the next 14 years.
Everitt had become active in the Wyoming Republican Party in 1983. Colbert mostly cared about economic issues at the time. In 1994, after Everitt had earned the respect of the Natrona County Party for aiding with various fundraisers, he was recommended to replace a retiring incumbent in the Wyoming House of Representatives. Everitt agreed, and he secured the backing of Sinclair executives for his run, and he was elected as part of the 1994 Republican wave. Colbert was placed on the various energy committees of the legislature, where he used his degree to advise on bills that affected the oil industry and making it more efficient. He also took an active role in lobbying Amtrak to connect the state to the national system, and in supporting vocational education. Colbert was repeatedly reelected with little opposition: Colbert was well liked in the Republican Party, and the Wyoming Democratic Party was virtually powerless. In 2003, Colbert was appointed Chairman of the Minerals, Business, and Economic Development Committee.
In early February, Senator (Not-Craig Thomas) died. According to Wyoming law, Governor (Not-Freudenthal) asked the Republican Party to draw up a list of three potential successors. Colbert was one of the three names after getting numerous endorsements from legislators and business executives. However, controversy soon ensued after the GOP submitted the list to the Governor, as the Casper Star-Tribune reported that during a private fundraiser, Colbert had made remarks where he said the Iraq War "had not meaningly contributed to peace in the Middle East" and that it was distracting from efforts to destroy the Taliban in Afghanistan. Some legislators withdrew their endorsements and called on the Governor to appoint someone else, but the Governor ignored them and appointed Colbert on February 28th.
I have read and accepted the rules of the roleplay: The Orion Islands

Do Not Remove: DRAFT123123

[Madrinpoor]

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([url=<Photo%20of%20Applicant%20Here>]Image[/url])

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Character Application and Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: The Orion Islands
Character Name: Everitt Rigby Colbert
Character Gender: Male
Character Age: 50
Character Height: 5 feet, 11 inches
Character Weight: 215 pounds
Character Position/Role/Job: United States Senator
Character Country/State of Birth: Wyoming
Character State of Residence: Wyoming
Character Party Affiliation: Republican
Faceclaim: Jon Tester
Main Strengths: Military experience, long term state government experience, Well liked in Wyoming, Strong willed
Main Weaknesses: Younger than most in DC, very emotional, establishment, somewhat on the outs with the GOP for opposing the invasion of Iraq and overt willingness to work with Democrats
Biography: Everitt was born outside of Casper to a family of small-time ranchers. Raised in a Catholic household, he was raised with a deep appreciation of the American political tradition and traditional American culture. He had emotional problems during school stemming from his father's death at age 10, but he finished high school third in his class. He attended the University of Wyoming, where he almost failed out in the first month. On the advice of a friend, he tried out for football. Coach Fred Akers provided him with the mentorship needed to continue, and he had close relationships with successors Bill Lewis and Pat Dye. He also started at free safety his redshirt junior and senior years. He eventually graduated 10th in his class, with a degree in petroleum engineering. Everitt worked at the Sinclair refinery outside of Casper for the next 14 years.
Everitt had become active in the Wyoming Republican Party in 1983. Colbert mostly cared about economic issues at the time. In 1994, after Everitt had earned the respect of the Natrona County Party for aiding with various fundraisers, he was recommended to replace a retiring incumbent in the Wyoming House of Representatives. Everitt agreed, and he secured the backing of Sinclair executives for his run, and he was elected as part of the 1994 Republican wave. Colbert was placed on the various energy committees of the legislature, where he used his degree to advise on bills that affected the oil industry and making it more efficient. He also took an active role in lobbying Amtrak to connect the state to the national system, and in supporting vocational education. Colbert was repeatedly reelected with little opposition: Colbert was well liked in the Republican Party, and the Wyoming Democratic Party was virtually powerless. In 2003, Colbert was appointed Chairman of the Minerals, Business, and Economic Development Committee.
In early February, Senator (Not-Craig Thomas) died. According to Wyoming law, Governor (Not-Freudenthal) asked the Republican Party to draw up a list of three potential successors. Colbert was one of the three names after getting numerous endorsements from legislators and business executives. However, controversy soon ensued after the GOP submitted the list to the Governor, as the Casper Star-Tribune reported that during a private fundraiser, Colbert had made remarks where he said the Iraq War "had not meaningly contributed to peace in the Middle East" and that it was distracting from efforts to destroy the Taliban in Afghanistan. Some legislators withdrew their endorsements and called on the Governor to appoint someone else, but the Governor ignored them and appointed Colbert on February 28th.
I have read and accepted the rules of the roleplay: The Orion Islands

Do Not Remove: DRAFT123123

I give it my approval. He's going to face a special election in 2008, of course.

[Sarenium]

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Character Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: Sarenium
Character Name: Robert "Bobby" Baxton
Character Gender: M
Character Age: 42 (Born 10 May, 1965)
Character Height: 172cm
Character Weight: 89kg
Character Position/Role/Job: Governor of Ohio (2007-), Attorney General of Ohio (2003-2007), U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio (1998-2003), District Attorney for Belmont County (1993-1998)
Appearance: Michael Gunner
Character State of Origin: Ohio
Character State of Residence: Ohio
Character Party Affiliation: Democratic
Main Strengths: Appalachian, Friend to Organized Labor, Charismatic
Main Weaknesses: Prone to Gaffes, Unfiltered, Young
Biography:

Robert "Bobby" Baxton (Born 10 May, 1965), is the incumbent Governor of Ohio as of his election to the office in the 2006 gubernatorial election. Born to parents Eleanor and George Baxton in 1965, the family went through severe economic hardship after his father's mine closed down. The family could not afford to leave Martins Ferry and at 14, Jack also attained casual employment to build some degree of savings for a future college degree. In 1974, his father began working a permanent part-time role in one of the industrial plants in Martins Ferry. Operating heavy machinery proved devastating and he died from a safety incident. The three year legal battle over his mother's entitlement to compensation from the company beyond installments provided by the state of Ohio motivated Jack to study law in future. In 1983 he finished school and immediately moved to Portsmouth, Ohio, studying at Shawnee State University where he attained a Bachelor's of Arts, in English and Humanities. At SSU he was a track and field runner, which helped him gain entry into UC upon graduation.

In 1987, he proceeded to move to Chicago where he studied a joint JD/MBA having gained entry through his high academic performance at SSU, the combination of his grades and athleticism allowed him to attain a larger scholarship which permitted him to focus more heavily on his degree for his first year, before in 1988 he funded his degree and study through a combination of loans, work and smaller scholarships such as the James Hormel scholarship which he received in both remaining years at U.C. Law. In 1990, upon graduation he returned to Martins Ferry, Ohio to be with his mother who had since retired due to ill health. Working as an Assistant D.A. to the Belmont County D.A. provided him with the opening to run at the Belmont County D.A. position in 1992 when the incumbent D.A. was brought down by a corruption scandal from which Bobby was insulated. After winning election he proved to be a bipartisan player, working with both sides of the Ohio political spectrum, with a penchant for rarely settling white-collar cases. The election for District Attorney resulted in a narrow win in the primary over older more experienced candidates mostly due to Bobby's success in bringing out blue-collar and low-income voters for himself. As a young DA he made some missteps in his early months, but he nonetheless proved an effective prosecutor 'once he found his feet'. Mostly misfiling paperwork and being scolded by Judges.

His record as District Attorney won him plaudits from Ohio's Democratic powerbrokers, who would raise his name as a contender for the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. He was appointed in 1998 and retained on the vociferous advice of not-Voinovich. When he announced his candidacy for Attorney General in 2002 he did so anticipating a strong northern and central Ohio cadre of opponents. However, the largely pro-Republican environment scared many would-be contenders off, allowing Bobby to win the primary handily. He would win the general unexpectedly by two points, after campaigning fiercely on transparency and fair government, he swept Appalachia, Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo. He made headlines when he backed not-George Voinovich over the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 2004. He did campaign fiercely with not-Kerry and when the candidate fell short, he embarked on a listening tour to gauge the opinions of Ohioans towards the Democratic Party generally. This tour, combined with a vociferous platform of anti-corruption made him one of the most popular Ohio Democrats and a shoe-in for the nomination in the 2006 gubernatorial. His campaign hit an early stumbling block when he stepped away to mourn the sudden death of his mother, but ultimately bore success as he won by twenty points.

As U.S. Attorney, his unfiltered and colourful language outside a courtroom won him a 'cut through the bullshit' moniker, which proved useful when later running for A.G. of Ohio. In 2006 his colourful language hit peak when on the trail in Youngstown he called his opponent "a scabby puppet". This did not hinder his campaign though as his down-to-earth attitude in the debates were more than enough to make up for any perceptions of impropriety.

In 1990, he married his high school sweetheart, June Henderson (now Baxton) in their local chapel. The protestant couple are privately fiercely religious though, Baxton in a 2006 interview made the following comments on abortion, "I will always trust Ohio women with their health decisions, that's a decision between you, your health provider and your family. Not a conversation for government or others' faith to get involved".

Economic issues are where he has shown to be the greatest friend to organized-labor, as A.G. he has been aggressive in enforcing antitrust and labor laws, mine safety and EBA compliance being the two fields in which he has spent the bulk of his time. A vociferous opponent of free trade agreements, he declared in 2006 "the next candidate for President has to be a fierce fighter for workers, that means ending the crusade against jobs and misguided love-affair with free trade agreements".

Early draft of Mr. Ohio Governor

[Jovuistan]

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Character Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: Sarenium
Character Name: Robert "Bobby" Baxton
Character Gender: M
Character Age: 42 (Born 10 May, 1965)
Character Height: 172cm
Character Weight: 89kg
Character Position/Role/Job: Governor of Ohio (2007-), Attorney General of Ohio (2003-2007), U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio (1998-2003), District Attorney for Belmont County (1993-1998)
Appearance: Michael Gunner
Character State of Origin: Ohio
Character State of Residence: Ohio
Character Party Affiliation: Democratic
Main Strengths: Appalachian, Friend to Organized Labor, Charismatic
Main Weaknesses: Prone to Gaffes, Unfiltered, Young
Biography:

Robert "Bobby" Baxton (Born 10 May, 1965), is the incumbent Governor of Ohio as of his election to the office in the 2006 gubernatorial election. Born to parents Eleanor and George Baxton in 1965, the family went through severe economic hardship after his father's mine closed down. The family could not afford to leave Martins Ferry and at 14, Jack also attained casual employment to build some degree of savings for a future college degree. In 1974, his father began working a permanent part-time role in one of the industrial plants in Martins Ferry. Operating heavy machinery proved devastating and he died from a safety incident. The three year legal battle over his mother's entitlement to compensation from the company beyond installments provided by the state of Ohio motivated Jack to study law in future. In 1983 he finished school and immediately moved to Portsmouth, Ohio, studying at Shawnee State University where he attained a Bachelor's of Arts, in English and Humanities. At SSU he was a track and field runner, which helped him gain entry into UC upon graduation.

In 1987, he proceeded to move to Chicago where he studied a joint JD/MBA having gained entry through his high academic performance at SSU, the combination of his grades and athleticism allowed him to attain a larger scholarship which permitted him to focus more heavily on his degree for his first year, before in 1988 he funded his degree and study through a combination of loans, work and smaller scholarships such as the James Hormel scholarship which he received in both remaining years at U.C. Law. In 1990, upon graduation he returned to Martins Ferry, Ohio to be with his mother who had since retired due to ill health. Working as an Assistant D.A. to the Belmont County D.A. provided him with the opening to run at the Belmont County D.A. position in 1992 when the incumbent D.A. was brought down by a corruption scandal from which Bobby was insulated. After winning election he proved to be a bipartisan player, working with both sides of the Ohio political spectrum, with a penchant for rarely settling white-collar cases. The election for District Attorney resulted in a narrow win in the primary over older more experienced candidates mostly due to Bobby's success in bringing out blue-collar and low-income voters for himself. As a young DA he made some missteps in his early months, but he nonetheless proved an effective prosecutor 'once he found his feet'. Mostly misfiling paperwork and being scolded by Judges.

His record as District Attorney won him plaudits from Ohio's Democratic powerbrokers, who would raise his name as a contender for the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. He was appointed in 1998 and retained on the vociferous advice of not-Voinovich. When he announced his candidacy for Attorney General in 2002 he did so anticipating a strong northern and central Ohio cadre of opponents. However, the largely pro-Republican environment scared many would-be contenders off, allowing Bobby to win the primary handily. He would win the general unexpectedly by two points, after campaigning fiercely on transparency and fair government, he swept Appalachia, Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo. He made headlines when he backed not-George Voinovich over the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 2004. He did campaign fiercely with not-Kerry and when the candidate fell short, he embarked on a listening tour to gauge the opinions of Ohioans towards the Democratic Party generally. This tour, combined with a vociferous platform of anti-corruption made him one of the most popular Ohio Democrats and a shoe-in for the nomination in the 2006 gubernatorial. His campaign hit an early stumbling block when he stepped away to mourn the sudden death of his mother, but ultimately bore success as he won by twenty points.

As U.S. Attorney, his unfiltered and colourful language outside a courtroom won him a 'cut through the bullshit' moniker, which proved useful when later running for A.G. of Ohio. In 2006 his colourful language hit peak when on the trail in Youngstown he called his opponent "a scabby puppet". This did not hinder his campaign though as his down-to-earth attitude in the debates were more than enough to make up for any perceptions of impropriety.

In 1990, he married his high school sweetheart, June Henderson (now Baxton) in their local chapel. The protestant couple are privately fiercely religious though, Baxton in a 2006 interview made the following comments on abortion, "I will always trust Ohio women with their health decisions, that's a decision between you, your health provider and your family. Not a conversation for government or others' faith to get involved".

Economic issues are where he has shown to be the greatest friend to organized-labor, as A.G. he has been aggressive in enforcing antitrust and labor laws, mine safety and EBA compliance being the two fields in which he has spent the bulk of his time. A vociferous opponent of free trade agreements, he declared in 2006 "the next candidate for President has to be a fierce fighter for workers, that means ending the crusade against jobs and misguided love-affair with free trade agreements".

Early draft of Mr. Ohio Governor

Jack Vichter

[Dentali]

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([url=<Photo%20of%20Applicant%20Here>]Image[/url])

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Character Application and Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: The Orion Islands
Character Name: Everitt Rigby Colbert
Character Gender: Male
Character Age: 50
Character Height: 5 feet, 11 inches
Character Weight: 215 pounds
Character Position/Role/Job: United States Senator
Character Country/State of Birth: Wyoming
Character State of Residence: Wyoming
Character Party Affiliation: Republican
Faceclaim: Jon Tester
Main Strengths: Military experience, long term state government experience, Well liked in Wyoming, Strong willed
Main Weaknesses: Younger than most in DC, very emotional, establishment, somewhat on the outs with the GOP for opposing the invasion of Iraq and overt willingness to work with Democrats
Biography: Everitt was born outside of Casper to a family of small-time ranchers. Raised in a Catholic household, he was raised with a deep appreciation of the American political tradition and traditional American culture. He had emotional problems during school stemming from his father's death at age 10, but he finished high school third in his class. He attended the University of Wyoming, where he almost failed out in the first month. On the advice of a friend, he tried out for football. Coach Fred Akers provided him with the mentorship needed to continue, and he had close relationships with successors Bill Lewis and Pat Dye. He also started at free safety his redshirt junior and senior years. He eventually graduated 10th in his class, with a degree in petroleum engineering. Everitt worked at the Sinclair refinery outside of Casper for the next 14 years.
Everitt had become active in the Wyoming Republican Party in 1983. Colbert mostly cared about economic issues at the time. In 1994, after Everitt had earned the respect of the Natrona County Party for aiding with various fundraisers, he was recommended to replace a retiring incumbent in the Wyoming House of Representatives. Everitt agreed, and he secured the backing of Sinclair executives for his run, and he was elected as part of the 1994 Republican wave. Colbert was placed on the various energy committees of the legislature, where he used his degree to advise on bills that affected the oil industry and making it more efficient. He also took an active role in lobbying Amtrak to connect the state to the national system, and in supporting vocational education. Colbert was repeatedly reelected with little opposition: Colbert was well liked in the Republican Party, and the Wyoming Democratic Party was virtually powerless. In 2003, Colbert was appointed Chairman of the Minerals, Business, and Economic Development Committee.
In early February, Senator (Not-Craig Thomas) died. According to Wyoming law, Governor (Not-Freudenthal) asked the Republican Party to draw up a list of three potential successors. Colbert was one of the three names after getting numerous endorsements from legislators and business executives. However, controversy soon ensued after the GOP submitted the list to the Governor, as the Casper Star-Tribune reported that during a private fundraiser, Colbert had made remarks where he said the Iraq War "had not meaningly contributed to peace in the Middle East" and that it was distracting from efforts to destroy the Taliban in Afghanistan. Some legislators withdrew their endorsements and called on the Governor to appoint someone else, but the Governor ignored them and appointed Colbert on February 28th.
I have read and accepted the rules of the roleplay: The Orion Islands

Do Not Remove: DRAFT123123

ACCEPTED123123 Please remember to make breaks in your paragraphs

[Sarenium]

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Character Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: Sarenium
Character Name: Robert "Bobby" Baxton
Character Gender: M
Character Age: 42 (Born 10 May, 1965)
Character Height: 172cm
Character Weight: 89kg
Character Position/Role/Job: Governor of Ohio (2007-), Attorney General of Ohio (2003-2007), U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio (1998-2003), District Attorney for Belmont County (1993-1998)
Appearance: Michael Gunner
Character State of Origin: Ohio
Character State of Residence: Ohio
Character Party Affiliation: Democratic
Main Strengths: Appalachian, Friend to Organized Labor, Charismatic
Main Weaknesses: Prone to Gaffes, Unfiltered, Young
Biography:

Robert "Bobby" Baxton (Born 10 May, 1965), is the incumbent Governor of Ohio as of his election to the office in the 2006 gubernatorial election. Born to parents Eleanor and George Baxton in 1965, the family went through severe economic hardship after his father's mine closed down. The family could not afford to leave Martins Ferry and at 14, Jack also attained casual employment to build some degree of savings for a future college degree. In 1974, his father began working a permanent part-time role in one of the industrial plants in Martins Ferry. Operating heavy machinery proved devastating and he died from a safety incident. The three year legal battle over his mother's entitlement to compensation from the company beyond installments provided by the state of Ohio motivated Jack to study law in future. In 1983 he finished school and immediately moved to Portsmouth, Ohio, studying at Shawnee State University where he attained a Bachelor's of Arts, in English and Humanities. At SSU he was a track and field runner, which helped him gain entry into UC upon graduation.

In 1987, he proceeded to move to Chicago where he studied a joint JD/MBA having gained entry through his high academic performance at SSU, the combination of his grades and athleticism allowed him to attain a larger scholarship which permitted him to focus more heavily on his degree for his first year, before in 1988 he funded his degree and study through a combination of loans, work and smaller scholarships such as the James Hormel scholarship which he received in both remaining years at U.C. Law. In 1990, upon graduation he returned to Martins Ferry, Ohio to be with his mother who had since retired due to ill health. Working as an Assistant D.A. to the Belmont County D.A. provided him with the opening to run at the Belmont County D.A. position in 1992 when the incumbent D.A. was brought down by a corruption scandal from which Bobby was insulated. After winning election he proved to be a bipartisan player, working with both sides of the Ohio political spectrum, with a penchant for rarely settling white-collar cases. The election for District Attorney resulted in a narrow win in the primary over older more experienced candidates mostly due to Bobby's success in bringing out blue-collar and low-income voters for himself. As a young DA he made some missteps in his early months, but he nonetheless proved an effective prosecutor 'once he found his feet'. Mostly misfiling paperwork and being scolded by Judges.

His record as District Attorney won him plaudits from Ohio's Democratic powerbrokers, who would raise his name as a contender for the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. He was appointed in 1998 and retained on the vociferous advice of not-Voinovich. When he announced his candidacy for Attorney General in 2002 he did so anticipating a strong northern and central Ohio cadre of opponents. However, the largely pro-Republican environment scared many would-be contenders off, allowing Bobby to win the primary handily. He would win the general unexpectedly by two points, after campaigning fiercely on transparency and fair government, he swept Appalachia, Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo. He made headlines when he backed not-George Voinovich over the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 2004. He did campaign fiercely with not-Kerry and when the candidate fell short, he embarked on a listening tour to gauge the opinions of Ohioans towards the Democratic Party generally. This tour, combined with a vociferous platform of anti-corruption made him one of the most popular Ohio Democrats and a shoe-in for the nomination in the 2006 gubernatorial. His campaign hit an early stumbling block when he stepped away to mourn the sudden death of his mother, but ultimately bore success as he won by twenty points.

As U.S. Attorney, his unfiltered and colourful language outside a courtroom won him a 'cut through the bullshit' moniker, which proved useful when later running for A.G. of Ohio. In 2006 his colourful language hit peak when on the trail in Youngstown he called his opponent "a scabby puppet". This did not hinder his campaign though as his down-to-earth attitude in the debates were more than enough to make up for any perceptions of impropriety.

In 1990, he married his high school sweetheart, June Henderson (now Baxton) in their local chapel. The protestant couple are privately fiercely religious though, Baxton in a 2006 interview made the following comments on abortion, "I will always trust Ohio women with their health decisions, that's a decision between you, your health provider and your family. Not a conversation for government or others' faith to get involved".

Economic issues are where he has shown to be the greatest friend to organized-labor, as A.G. he has been aggressive in enforcing antitrust and labor laws, mine safety and EBA compliance being the two fields in which he has spent the bulk of his time. A vociferous opponent of free trade agreements, he declared in 2006 "the next candidate for President has to be a fierce fighter for workers, that means ending the crusade against jobs and misguided love-affair with free trade agreements".

Early draft of Mr. Ohio Governor

Jack Vichter

Yeah, adapting him though, some changes are to come.

[Yaruqo]

To our newer players: please keep in mind that if you’re going to quote a lengthy post, be sure to insert a -snip- in the quoted post, it’ll look like this:

Yaruqo wrote:
-snip-

Also, be sure to make your IC posts at least a paragraph. For example, rather than just saying “I’m interested in your bill!”, give us more.

@Mareadmonte, aside from quoting my post in full, you’re fine.

@New Luciannova, your post was far too brief. At the very least, I’d like for you to edit your post and make you reaching out to Miller more formal, like he’s sending an actual note to his office and not just shouting out into the ether. You’re responding to a press release, after all.

I’d appreciate if the both of you could edit your posts to -snip- my post that you’re quoting, and if NL could edit their post as well. Normally we discourage edits, but I’ll allow it this time.

[Mareadmonte]

To our newer players: please keep in mind that if you’re going to quote a lengthy post, be sure to insert a -snip- in the quoted post, it’ll look like this:

Yaruqo wrote:
-snip-

Also, be sure to make your IC posts at least a paragraph. For example, rather than just saying “I’m interested in your bill!”, give us more.

@Mareadmonte, aside from quoting my post in full, you’re fine.

@New Luciannova, your post was far too brief. At the very least, I’d like for you to edit your post and make you reaching out to Miller more formal, like he’s sending an actual note to his office and not just shouting out into the ether. You’re responding to a press release, after all.

I’d appreciate if the both of you could edit your posts to -snip- my post that you’re quoting, and if NL could edit their post as well. Normally we discourage edits, but I’ll allow it this time.

My bad, I apologize.

[Yaruqo]

Y’all don’t have to apologize! If anyone on the admin team expects an apology, we’ll ask for one lol. You guys are new, you’re learning, it’s expected.

[Vaquas]

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Character Application and Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: Vaquas

Character Name: Everest Curtis Laakso

Character Gender: Male

Character Age: 52

Character Height: 5’9

Character Weight: 148 lbs

Character Position/Role/Job:
United States Senator from North Dakota (2001 - Present)
United States Representative for North Dakota’s At-Large District (1997 - 2001)
Attorney General of North Dakota (1993 - 1997)

Character Country/State of Birth: Minnesota

Character State of Residence: North Dakota

Character Party Affiliation: Democratic Party

Faceclaim: Sherrod Brown, with beard and glasses added

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Main Strengths:

Power in the Union(s): Senator Laakso’s political ties to organized labor and significant support for both public and private sector unions in his background are likely to be a boon in any sort of national contest. A significant base of North Dakotan farmers and seniors who are ready to vouch for him can’t hurt either!

Pleased Papers: Laakso’s significant body of written work produced both in college and during his time at the Grand Forks Herald has proven to be an asset, with his views being clear, consistent, and often “prescient”, lending him significant credibility amongst ideological leftists and media types who care about that kind of thing. Plus, McGovern amirite?

An Untapped Market: Being the first member of a minority group, with incredible bona fides to that effect no less, to potentially make a run for the Presidency is a serious thing, and while Natives only make up 1-2% of the population, in a situation where every vote counts, that ain’t nothing. And the best part is, “economically anxious” white people can’t even tell!

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Main Weaknesses:

At Least I’ve Got Nothing to Hide: Laakso is one of the “poorest” members of the United States Senate and has a warchest befitting the size of his state, making him initially poorly positioned for a large-scale national campaign. Guess it's time to hit the county fairs!

Papers, Please: Laakso’s significant body of written work produced both in college and during his time at the Grand Forks Herald has proven to be a liability, with his views being clear, consistent, and often “radical”, creating a significant predetermined distaste among the right-wing pundits and intelligentsia. Uh Senator, what did you mean by this?

Look, It Was Years Ago: Despite the (relatively) calm logistics of his divorce and remarriage, the circumstances are still considered mildly scandalous, even all these years later. North Dakota doesn’t care anymore, but what about Washington?

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Biography: Everest Curtis Laakso was born in Fergus Falls, Minnesota on April 9, 1954, to Mikael Laakso and Tahcawin Means, alongside his twin sister, Juniper Deborah Laakso. A bronze medalist in the two man bobsleigh competition at the 1948 Winter Olympics, Everest’s father Mikael, the son of Finnish immigrants to the United States, was an athlete, though his professional career would be derailed by a freak accident in the spring of 1952. Said accident rendered one leg largely unusable, and he would be reduced to the role of high school gym teacher by the time of Everest’s birth. His mother, meanwhile, the daughter of a Sioux store clerk and a white nurse, worked as a nurse herself at the Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center. From birth until the age of 9, Everest’s upbringing was that of a standard lower-middle class child, never going hungry but not often being able to enjoy some of the excesses of his wealthier peers.

Things would change in November of 1963, when Mikael Laakso would be rendered comatose following an aborted attempt to beat a train across the track, cutting the family’s income in half and rendering Everest’s mother largely helpless to the pressures of mounting medical expenses and the added stress of taking care of her bedridden husband. After working two jobs simultaneously and encountering significant harassment from management during her time waiting tables at a local restaurant, Tahcawin Laakso would finally break down upon the death of her husband in 1965 and move the family to the Standing Rock Reservation, where Everest would spend the next 7 years of his life living alongside his maternal grandparents. It was here that he would become politically conscious, acutely aware of the lack of federal resources being directed to the tribe and even more so aware of the lack of sufficient medical care for his own mother, whose deteriorating mental state went largely unaddressed and untreated as his grandparents took over as his primary caregivers.

In middle and high school, Everest would develop a complicated relationship with history, his anger at how the government of the United States had conducted itself throughout its existence clashing with stories he had read about great men he would come to idolize, notably Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt. He would excel in his studies across the board, showing a significant aptitude for writing and even attempting to publish a small collection of amateur short stories in 1971, with little success. In his junior year of high school he would begin dating Jennifer White Mountain, and in his senior year he would graduate with honors at the top of his class, rejecting an offer to study at the University of Chicago in order to attend the University of North Dakota alongside the woman he considered the love of his life.

In college, Everest would double-major in history and English literature, initially hoping to eventually enter academia. He would busy himself significantly on campus, joining numerous student organizations, writing for the Dakota Student and working an on-campus job as a guide for incoming freshmen in order to send money back to his grandparents. This packed schedule would place significant stress on Everest’s personal life, with his relationship on the rocks for the latter half of his time there, though the pair would never officially break up. It was during this time that Everest would also begin consuming more interesting literature, and his political views would begin to harden into a fine point. He would develop a close friendship with one of his professors, Isolde Weber, who would nudge him in the direction of considering law school, though he would decline to do so right away. In 1972 he would volunteer for the McGovern campaign in North Dakota, and in 1976 he would immerse himself in the Democratic primaries, first organizing for Sargent Shriver, then for Frank Church, before reluctantly doing so for Jimmy Carter in the general election.

Graduating in 1976, Laakso would secure a job writing for the Grand Forks Herald, where his confrontational style and willingness to wade into controversial subjects garnered significant attention. He would remain in this capacity for 3 years, before he would be terminated from the publication following backlash to an op-ed written about then-candidate Ronald Reagan which contained the line, “A vote for Ronald Reagan is a vote for a bullet in the head of the working class”. It was during his time at the Herald that Laakso would finally marry his highschool sweetheart, and Jennifer White Mountain would become Jennifer Laakso on March 31st, 1978. It was during this period too when Everest’s mother would be admitted to a psychiatric hospital following an attempt on her own life, an episode which affected him significantly.

Shortly following his termination from the Herald, Everest would finally follow the advice of his close friend and former professor and apply to law school, gaining entrance to the UND School of Law shortly before his wife announced her pregnancy. The unfortunate timing meant that Laakso would have to take on a part-time job at a local bookstore while attending school, once again putting his relationship on the ropes. This time, however, things would not settle on their own, with Everest seeking refuge in the arms of his former professor and beginning an affair with her that would encompass the latter half of his wife’s pregnancy. It was during this time that Dr. Weber would also become pregnant with his child, resulting in the affair eventually being revealed. Despite valiant efforts to make it work in the aftermath of such a betrayal, the couple would file for divorce 3 months following the birth of Robert Abraham Laakso and 2 months before the birth of Klaus Delano Weber.

Throughout all this, Everest pushed through law school, though his grades slipped and he nearly failed out. Following the settling of the divorce, which was charitably registered as no fault with joint custody of the former couple’s son, Everest would move in with his former professor, and the two would marry a year and a half later, raising institutional questions that were assuaged by the fact that Isolde did not directly supervise or instruct her now husband. Klaus and Isolde Weber would become Klaus and Isolde Laakso, and with the added security of his wife’s financial position, Laakso would quit his part time job and rebound in law school.

Graduating in 1982 with a JD and an additional certificate in Indian law, Laakso and two friends would found a law firm, Portman, Roughwater, and Laakso, focusing on a wide variety of cases. Though the firm initially struggled to attract interested parties, Laakso would land it a break in 1984 when he was approached by a group of farmers looking to sue a local government over a land dispute. He would take on the case and win it unexpectedly, bringing the firm significant local media attention and raising his profile among legal circles in the state. The practice grew after that, with the three initial cohorts dividing up the cases evenly, with Portman handling criminal matters, Roughwater handling divorces and family matters, and Laakso handling matters of “land, labor, and legislation”. Everest would represent workers seeking unpaid wages, farmers seeking to fight off parties interested in their land rights, and natives seeking a more cooperative relationship with state and local governments. On several occasions, Everest would end up before the North Dakota Supreme Court, drawing national attention in 1988 for presenting a powerful legal argument against the state’s right to work law. He would also win some state damages for his tribe at Standing Rock due to the flooding of settlements by the mishandling of the Oahe Reservoir, making him extraordinarily popular among the state’s native population. The firm would become highly respected, and the North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party, which Laakso would find himself increasingly involved with over the years, took notice.

In 1990, Laakso would be convinced to mount a campaign for state senate in the seat of a retiring republican incumbent, but would drop the bid following the unexpected news that his wife, aged 46, was pregnant. It would be a tough pregnancy, and she would give birth prematurely to Sylvia Rosa Laakso. Sylvia would be quickly diagnosed with significant retinopathy of prematurity, rendering her blind from birth. The ensuing year was a learning experience for both parents, and Everest took a short leave from the firm to focus on spending time with his infant daughter.

In 1992, the incumbent State AG announced his intention to run for governor, sparking speculation as to who Democrats would nominate for the upcoming race. Laakso, having recently returned to work, was initially against entering the race despite some encouragement to do so, but did after being persuaded by a friend within the North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party. He would face a field of 4 other candidates, including a state representative and the state’s tax assessor, but would ultimately narrowly win the party’s nomination with a plurality, in no small part thanks to increased native participation in the election and an endorsement from the Mayor of Grand Forks. In the general election, he would face off against Duke “Early” Warring in a campaign significantly lower profile than the other races that year, and he would stick entirely to local issues, emphasizing his extensive legal bona fides in advertising and rebuffing attacks of being “too liberal” by countering with Warring’s inexperience and lack of commentary on the issues. Ultimately, Laakso would win the race 58 to 42.

As AG, Laakso’s tenure was not especially eventful, save for a significant case in which he became one of the public faces of the interstate effort alongside 47 other AG’s to punish tobacco companies for the damaging long-term effects their products had, resulting in the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement of 1995 that brought an award of more than $340 million to the state. In addition, Laakso continued to foster relations between the state and native tribes in his capacity as an overseer of gaming issues, being accused at times by political opponents of having a conflict of interest, though he would always deny these accusations vehemently and no evidence was ever produced.

In 1996, the incumbent Democratic representative announced his retirement from congress, seeking to take a position within Allstate insurance company. Democratic Party operatives immediately attempted to recruit Laakso, an effort he quickly embraced after a conversation with his wife and children concerning the subject. He would face off against a former state senator in the primary but easily crush him, receiving endorsements from one of North Dakota’s Senators and the mayors of Fargo and Grand Forks. In the general, he would face off against State Representative Tom Byrd, who would initially run a very competitive campaign, bringing up Laakso’s previous writings and his association with “far-left” democratic campaigns in the past. Laakso doubled down on his achievements as Attorney General and in his private practice, declining to go negative on Byrd until the man jumped the shark and began to spread rumors about Everest being an unfit father. Furious, Laakso’s campaign went on the offensive immediately, accusing Byrd of being a corrupt, taking kickbacks to overlook workplace safety violations during his time as an OSHA inspector. The attacks stuck, and internal polling saw Byrd’s favorability plummet as his attacks on Laakso became more and more detached. The final blow was during the men's only debate, during which Byrd accused Laakso of being “off the reservation”, adding after a brief pause, “and I mean that literally”. Laakso responded cooly, saying that the remarks “spoke for themselves” and moving on to address the question the moderator had asked, about social security. Following the performance, Laakso’s lead over Byrd grew massively, and he would crush him in the general election with 63% of the vote.

Assuming office in 1997, Laakso began his congressional tenure by involving himself in the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act, a bi-partisan effort dedicated to facilitating the adoption of children with special needs. Laakso would also vote against the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998, and would often lend himself to media interviews concerning current events from the perspective of a congressional freshman. Laakso also voted against the Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act, and opposed the impeachment of Bill Clinton, decrying the House Speaker as “turning an important constitutional tool into a political sideshow”.

In 1998 Laakso was opposed for reelection by Shelby Mooremeadow, a Republican small business owner. Ultimately, her campaign failed to achieve forward momentum, with the failure of her team to successfully overcome the significant name recognition and relative popularity of Laakso being a death knell to her chances. Even so, Laakso was reelected by a smaller margin this time around, with 57% of the vote.

In his second term, Laakso’s most prominent moves included co-sponsoring the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act and the Agriculture Risk Protection Act of 2000, which expanded 911 services significantly and increased federal agriculture subsidies significantly, both of which boosted his popularity in state. Laakso supported the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, which was carried out to “stop a horrific genocide”.

In 2000, Laakso was preparing to seek reelection to a third term when incumbent Senator Connor Kentson, with whom Laakso had built a fair personal relationship, suffered a mild stroke, prompting him to announce his retirement at the end of his current term. Laakso, with the support of Kentson and the state’s other Senator, announced his bid to fill the seat, clearing the field and winning the nomination overwhelmingly versus a no-name policeman. In the general election, Laakso faced retired army vet Derrick Mudd, a standard Republican who would run a decent campaign. Without the advantage of incumbency, Laakso maintained a small lead of Mudd leading up to the election, but received a bump following several public appearances with both incumbent U.S. Senators in a retail setting. Ultimately, he would win election to the seat 57 - 43. This made him the 5th Native American to serve in the U.S. Senate, and made him the first in over 75 years to serve alongside another of the same race. Laakso also criticized the Supreme Court over its decision in Cush v. Sore, calling it “politically motivated”, but declined to say more on the subject publicly.

In the United States Senate, Laakso’s time in the 107th Congress took place in the context of 9/11 and its aftermath, voting for the AUMF of 2001 and the PATRIOT Act. Laakso vocally opposed the 2002 AUMF against Iraq, gaining national attention when he famously claimed in an interview, “The government of Iraq is not a threat to the people of North Dakota. Or South Dakota, for that matter”. Everest did, however, vote for the Homeland Security Act of 2002. Laakso also championed the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act and worked with his fellow North Dakota Senator to put forward the subsidy cap amendment on the 2002 Farm Bill. In addition, Senator Laakso was a large proponent of the Help America Vote Act.

In the 108th Congress, Laakso helped to write the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, and he voted against the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act after his amendment altering the section barring medicare from negotiating prescription drug prices was shot down. Laakso was not present for the vote on the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 due to a family emergency, though he later told a local newspaper that had he been present, he would have voted against the bill. When questioned about the increasingly pressing issue of gay marriage, Laakso responded that such a thing was a “state by state issue”. When further pressed on his personal views of the subject, Laakso curtly responded “I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the intimate activities of homosexuals”. In the 2004 Democratic primaries, Laakso endorsed Not-Howard Dean, before swiftly backing Not-Kerry in the General Election. Laakso vigorously campaigned against President Cush, and was personally dejected upon his victory.

In the 109th Congress, Laakso busied himself, strongly backing the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2005, opposing the “deceptively named” Class Action Fairness and Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Acts, and supporting the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. Upon Cush’s veto of the lattermost bill, Laakso referred to the President as “bowing to the anti-science lobby” and resolved to attempt to pass the bill again in the future. Senator Laakso slammed President Cush for his response to Hurricane Katrina and called for additional funding to state governments for disaster relief in response. Laakso also served as the author of the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act, and managed to secure an additional $5 million dollars beyond the bill’s original funding limits via amendment. Notably, Laakso was one of 4 Democrats, including his fellow North Dakota Senator, to vote against the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006. Laakso also prominently led a failed effort to achieve a bipartisan framework for which to deal with climate change, ultimately stating that “apparently there isn’t much appetite for averting disasters on the hill.” Laakso, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also grilled then Judge Not-Samuel Alito during his confirmation hearing and vocally opposed his nomination at every juncture. Laakso was also one of 23 Democrats to vote against Not-John Roberts.

In 2006, despite their best efforts, Republicans failed to recruit the popular incumbent governor to run against Laakso, resulting in a weak no-name Republican challenger winning in the divided republican primary. Laakso declined to even debate the challenger and essentially ignored his opponent for the entire campaign, instead opting to participate in on-the-ground retail to inform his constituents about the progress made over the past 6 years. He would be overwhelmingly reelected with 65% of the vote. The day after election night would be the more exciting one though, with the Senator welcoming his first grandchild into the world.

Following his reelection, feelers started going out around DC. Unexpected feelers. In late January, in a profile of potential 2008 contenders, it was mentioned that Senator Laakso was considering a run for the presidency. Asked about the rumors, the Senator’s office had no comment. It's now March, and the Senator’s intentions are going to become clear soon, one way or the other.

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Other Info:

Racial background and Languages: Though phenotypically white-skinned, Laakso is ¼ Húŋkpapȟa Sioux and a registered member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. He is a practiced speaker of the Lakota language due to continued practice and consultation with tribal elders and has spearheaded efforts to increase federal investment in preserving native languages. Has a decent grasp on Finnish following personal study and communication with distant relatives, but is not completely fluent, as evidenced by a CoDel to Finland in 2004.

Personality and Senate Reputation: In a 2005 poll of congressional staffers, Laakso was voted the second kindest Senator on the hill, and he is also the current occupant of the famed “Candy Desk”, in which he stocks everything ranging from chocolates to hard sour candy. Others have described him as “stubborn, but not hard to work with”. He has become very good friends with both Hawaii Senators and also enjoys a good relationship with the junior Senator from Vermont. He has worked tirelessly during his time in Washington to signal boost interest groups advocating on behalf of blind and deaf Americans.

Spouse, Children, Pets: Isolde Laakso (née; Weber) was born on October 1, 1943 in Fargo, North Dakota, the daughter of German immigrants. She is an English literature professor at the University of North Dakota. Her doctorate was earned at Princeton University. She has been married to Everest since August 4, 1981.

Robert Abraham Laakso was born on March 9th, 1980, in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He attended the University of North Dakota and received a bachelor's degree in political science before attending law school at the same university. He currently works as a legal associate at his father’s old firm, Portman, Roughwater, and Laakso. He is married to Georgia Laakso, a real estate agent, and the couple have a newborn daughter, Leia. His mother, Senator Laakso’s ex wife, works in a managerial capacity at a bank in Grand Forks.

Klaus Delano Laakso was born on June 14th, 1980, in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He attended the New England Conservatory of Music and received a degree in classical performance, an accomplished cellist. He is a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the aforementioned capacity. He is currently engaged to Daiyu Chen, a former classmate and current member of the Boston Pops.

Sylvia Rosa Laakso was born on July 22nd, 1990, in Grand Forks, North Dakota. She currently attends highschool at Grand Forks Central High, where she is in her junior year. To act as a guide dog for Sylvia, the family happily employs Lux, a 4 year old golden retriever. Sylvia is performing well in school, though she struggles with the humanities and prefers science and mathematics. She is currently dating Jaysen Krauthammer, a member of the school’s football team, much to her father’s chagrin.

Finally, in addition to Lux, the family owns a pet cat, Kaan, a 9 year old orange Turkish Angora.

I have read and accepted the rules of the roleplay: Vaquas

Do Not Remove: DRAFT123123

[Kavanis]

Feingold's bill has already attracted twice as many House sponsors as it did IRL.

[Yaruqo]

NS Nation Name: Vaquas

Character Name: Everest Curtis Laakso

This looks amazing, Vaquas! ACCEPTED123123

[Mareadmonte]

So how will campaigning work?

[Sarenium]

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Character Information Sheet

NS Nation Name: Sarenium
Character Name: Robert "Bobby" Baxton
Character Gender: M
Character Age: 42 (Born 10 May, 1965)
Character Height: 172cm
Character Weight: 89kg
Character Position/Role/Job: Governor of Ohio (2007-), Attorney General of Ohio (2003-2007), U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio (1998-2003), District Attorney for Belmont County (1993-1998)
Appearance: Michael Gunner
Character State of Origin: Ohio
Character State of Residence: Ohio
Character Party Affiliation: Democratic
Main Strengths: Appalachian, Friend to Organized Labor, Charismatic
Main Weaknesses: Prone to Gaffes, Unfiltered, Young
Biography:

Robert "Bobby" Baxton (Born 10 May, 1965), is the incumbent Governor of Ohio as of his election to the office in the 2006 gubernatorial election. Born to parents Eleanor and George Baxton in 1965, the family went through severe economic hardship after his father's mine closed down. The family could not afford to leave Martins Ferry and at 14, Jack also attained casual employment to build some degree of savings for a future college degree. In 1974, his father began working a permanent part-time role in one of the industrial plants in Martins Ferry. Operating heavy machinery proved devastating and he died from a safety incident. The three year legal battle over his mother's entitlement to compensation from the company beyond installments provided by the state of Ohio motivated Jack to study law in future. In 1983 he finished school and immediately moved to Portsmouth, Ohio, studying at Shawnee State University where he attained a Bachelor's of Arts, in English and Humanities. At SSU he was a track and field runner, which helped him gain entry into UC upon graduation.

In 1987, he proceeded to move to Chicago where he studied a joint JD/MBA having gained entry through his high academic performance at SSU, the combination of his grades and athleticism allowed him to attain a larger scholarship which permitted him to focus more heavily on his degree for his first year, before in 1988 he funded his degree and study through a combination of loans, work and smaller scholarships such as the James Hormel scholarship which he received in both remaining years at U.C. Law. In 1990, upon graduation he returned to Martins Ferry, Ohio to be with his mother who had since retired due to ill health. Working as an Assistant D.A. to the Belmont County D.A. provided him with the opening to run at the Belmont County D.A. position in 1992 when the incumbent D.A. was brought down by a corruption scandal from which Bobby was insulated. After winning election he proved to be a bipartisan player, working with both sides of the Ohio political spectrum, with a penchant for rarely settling white-collar cases. The election for District Attorney resulted in a narrow win in the primary over older more experienced candidates mostly due to Bobby's success in bringing out blue-collar and low-income voters for himself. As a young DA he made some missteps in his early months, but he nonetheless proved an effective prosecutor 'once he found his feet'. Mostly misfiling paperwork and being scolded by Judges.

His record as District Attorney won him plaudits from Ohio's Democratic powerbrokers, who would raise his name as a contender for the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. He was appointed in 1998 and retained on the vociferous advice of not-Voinovich. His time as a U.S. Attorney gained repute in circles relevant to the Department of Justice for it's fierce involvement in white-collar cases emanating from Cincinnati and preparedness to involve the weight of the U.S. Attorney's office in enforcing housing code when it came to Columbus. He earned a reputation for fairness or harshness depending on who was asked, he often offered no recourse to perpetrators of violent crimes and his sense of justice meant that what he offered perpetrators in deals was marginally better than what they could get in the courtroom. His approach to toughness on crime has not been without exception, he supported an expert review of medicinal cannabis legalization when he eventually became Attorney General. As U.S. Attorney, his unfiltered and colourful language outside a courtroom won him a 'cut through the bullshit' moniker, which proved useful when later running for A.G. of Ohio.

When he announced his candidacy for Attorney General in 2002 he did so anticipating a strong northern and central Ohio cadre of opponents. However, the largely pro-Republican environment of post-9/11 scared many would-be contenders off, allowing Bobby to win the primary handily. He would win the general unexpectedly by two points, after campaigning fiercely on transparency and fair government, he swept Appalachia, Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo. He made headlines when he made no endorsement in the seemingly competitive race for U.S. Senate in 2004. He did campaign fiercely with not-Kerry and when the candidate fell short, he embarked on a listening tour to gauge the opinions of Ohioans towards the Democratic Party generally. This tour, combined with a vociferous platform of anti-corruption made him one of the most popular Ohio Democrats and a shoe-in for the nomination in the 2006 gubernatorial.

In 2005, his office became engaged in prosecuting not-Tom Noe, the corrupt GOP donor and government official who had received $50 million to facilitate the management of Ohio's rare coins and papers in the preceding few years. Baxton as Attorney General turned over 120 boxes of documents, and pledged the office would aim to return the missing $50 million that was stolen from Ohio taxpayers. In August 2005, he would sue the Governor on ethical violations, and left open the question of any possible further prosecutions. While some goodwill was burned with some Republicans, most accepted the prosecution of not-Noe and others who were indicted by county officials. Baxton would then work with the Ohio legislature on drafting a bill in response to this crisis, when the Governor made the suggestion of vetoing it and the bill was quietly scuttled, it became his central campaign plank for Governor.

2006 Ohio Gubernatorial Election
Bobby Baxton v. Ben Clackwell

On January 27, 2006, Robert Baxton announced his bid for Governor of Ohio. He did so in front of his late father's closed mechanical plant and spoke of 'the pain of losing the very fabric of what we hold dear'. His push for transparent government, and the irresponsibility of allowing corruption to continue unscathed resonated with voters who had become accustomed to seeing his face describe the intricate involvement of Republican officials in the Coingate scandal the preceding year. A month later, his campaign hit an early stumbling block when he stepped away to mourn the sudden death of his mother, but ultimately bore success as he won the general election by 25 points. In 2006 his colourful language hit peak when on the trail in Youngstown he called his opponent "a scabby puppet". This did not hinder his campaign though as his down-to-earth attitude in the debates were more than enough to make up for any perceptions of impropriety. He has called reserved his colourful language for direct political opponents, keeping commentary on those outside Ohio to a minimum, but he does intend to use his status as a rising star meaningfully...

In 1990, he married his high school sweetheart, June Henderson (now Baxton) in their local chapel. The protestant couple are privately fiercely religious though, Baxton in a 2006 interview made the following comments on abortion, "I will always trust Ohio women with their health decisions, that's a decision between you, your health provider and your family. Not a conversation for government or others' faith to get involved". Economic issues are where he had shown to be the greatest friend to organized-labor, as A.G. he has been aggressive in enforcing antitrust and labor laws, mine safety and EBA compliance being the two fields in which he has spent the bulk of his time. A vociferous opponent of free trade agreements, he declared in 2006 "the next candidate for President has to be a fierce fighter for workers, that means ending the crusade against jobs and misguided love-affair with free trade agreements".

In 1999, his wife gave birth to twins Jackson and Ella. In 2003, their third child, George was born. The fourth and seemingly last child, Zoe was born in late 2005. Zoe was a frequent appearance alongside June at any campaign events, with the press often remarking on the nature of the campaign being run by the 'family man' running to be Governor. Bobby has no siblings.

[Yaruqo]

NS Nation Name: Sarenium
Character Name: Robert "Bobby" Baxton

ACCEPTED123123 for the most part, though I’d like to see an example of a gaffe/being “no bullshit” that hurt him a bit somewhere in his bio (being scolded by judges does not demonstrate this as a “weakness”, per se).

[Meretica]

Most of my stuff is back to normal now. I'd like to submit these and RP here as a non-Admin/Moderator.

Edit: I removed Mattoxs planned Senate run. I also removed Coffee references.

(Face claims listed, too lazy to Imgur rn)

Dorothy Winthrop

NS Nation Name: Meretica
Character Name: Dorothy Winthrop
Character Gender: Female
Character Age: 53 (nearing 54)
Character Height: 5'6"
Character Weight: 139 lbs
Character Position/Role/Job: Businesswoman from Maine, Senate Candidate (Unannounced)
Character Country/State of Birth: Maine
Character State of Residence: Maine
Character Party Affiliation: Democratic (2001 to present); Independent (1973 to 2001); Republican (prior to 1973)
Face Claim: Meryl Streep (Devil Wears Prada face claim due to age)
Main Strengths: Extremely wealthy, not too old, extremely Progressive, well-known on the East Coast, campaigned hard during the midterms, successful businesswoman
Main Weaknesses: Former Republican, sometimes accused of being a flip-flopper, doesn't always follow the party line, comes from money, Wall Street connections, can be shrewd, little known outside of New England, health episode cover-up, questionable record on unions

Biography: Dorothy Winthrop was born July 4, 1953, in Augusta, Maine at Winthrop Manor. A member of the well-to-do family, the Winthrops, she was raised to be a Liberal Republican from an early age and brought up into a political family. Her father and grandfather had served in the Maine legislature as a Progressive and a Liberal Republican respectively, and it was expected that all Winthrop relatives have some involvement in politics. Dorothy was a natural and took to political theory like a fish to water from a young age. Like her father, she was of the Rockefeller-Romney-Warren (as in Earl Warren) stock, being socially liberal and fiscally conservative.

At the age of 13, Dorothy served as a volunteer for a Republican campaign in Maine. She continued to work for his campaign even though he was considered to lose, and he did. In 1968, (age 15), she worked for Nixon’s election campaign. She did the same in 1972 but disavowed him after Watergate. She made up for it by supporting Franck Church for president in 1976 and voting for Carter that same year. In 1980, she supported Ted Kennedy in the primaries and wrote him in. In 1984, she worked part-time for Reagan’s re-election campaign, before switching back to the Democrats to support Jesse Jackson in 1988 (she voted for Dukakis in the end). In 1992 and 1996, Dorothy worked for the Perot campaign. During these years, she also obtained a Bachelor’s in Business and a Bachelor’s in Economics.

In 2000, Dorothy supported (McCain) in the GOP primaries; she reluctantly voted for (Gore) in the general and was disgusted by the Florida results, believing that the election should've gone to the House since Florida's final tally could not officially be created. She wrote letters back and forth with her family over whether or not to publish an op-ed suggesting this in mid-November 2000, but decided against it. Dorothy was appointed to serve as an economic advisor to Governor (Angus King). However, Dorothy resigned after she was shoved down a staircase in 2002 because she broke her femur and was bed-bound for weeks. She now has a very noticeable limp and often has walking issues, sometimes making use of a cane. She also sometimes has intense pain in her side that has stuck with her since the attempt; the pain is usually temporary and quick, and it is well-known that this is an issue she has. She refuses to take pain medication as most that would be prescribed to her are either narcotics or not strong enough; the lone exception has been morphine, which she has had to use on a select few occasions where the pain was so intense that she once screamed herself hoarse after falling at her home in 2005. A neighbor that had often house sat entered her home to check on her after not hearing from her in several days. This neighbor very likely saved her life. Her nephew, Philemon, now serves as a part-time staffer and is almost always nearby. This particular event was covered up at Dorothy's request.

Dorothy started a news media organization called “The Real American” in late 2002 after resigning with help from her relatives. It began as a radio talk show based in Maine with extremely progressive leanings. It joined Sirius XM early on and was soon being broadcasted across New England.

In 2006, the program received attention for its 99-hour "Live on Air Filibuster," conducted during Congressional hearings for the nomination of (Samuel Alito) to the (Supreme Court). Hosts including Dorothy and several others filled in during the event, to allow the show's regular hosts and contributors to rest or take breaks. That same year, TRA joined YouTube and started creating a podcast to share its progressive message. TRA's name was changed to “The Caffeinated American” on Election Day. Since then, Winthrop has been appearing more and more on the show, occasionally hinting that she might run for federal office. Some members of Congress, such as Rep. John Mattox, have appeared on the show to share various policy ideas and more.

Additionally, Dorothy hit the campaign trail in 2006, campaigning on behalf of several primary challengers and working to elect progressives. Dorothy is a self-proclaimed member of the Progressive Movement and spent a large amount of time campaigning on behalf of the Democratic Party in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. She also had brief campaign events in Missouri, Ohio, Michigan, Montana, and California.

Winthrop is seen as a likely candidate to run in 2008 for the Democratic or Green nominations, but she will be running for Senate instead. Most of the speculation has come about because has spent a fair amount of time in New York, New Hampshire, and Iowa speaking on behalf of white-and-blue collar workers. She has also crisscrossed the Carolinas, Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama in an attempt to drive up voter registration and turnout among blacks, homosexuals, and other minorities.

Other Info:
Family Tree and Summarized Dynamic--
Daniel Winthrop (b. 1918 and d. 1983) and Tonya Estes (m. 1939; b. 1921) had three children: Titus I, Marianne, and James.

Titus I (b. 1940) + Elizabeth (m. 1961) had four children:
-Nathaniel (b. 1962) + Jessica Davies (m. 1985); had Titus II in 1989, Gabriel in 1992, and Philemon in 1994.
-Dorothy (b. 1967); never married
-Rebecca (b. 1968) + Matthew Wallace (m. 1990); had Andrea in 1992 and Isaac in 1993.
-Augustine (b. 1970); mostly a recluse, suffers from agoraphobia

Marianne (b. 1943) + Arnold Robertson (m. 1964) had two children:
-Yvette (b. 1968) + Andrew (m. 1979); had Strom in 1981 and Fred in 1983
-Regina II (b. & d. 1973)

James (b. 1945) + Hepzibah (m. 1969) died in a car crash in 1999.

Titus II lives in New York with his wife Anna (m. 2012) where he serves as a member of the city council from Albany. Andrea is unmarried but has an adopted daughter, Sam (b. 2019); Andrea is a part-time host of TCA, often hopping over to Maine from her home in Vermont. The other relatives work for the growing media organization or are preparing to work for the upcoming campaign, either as staffers, lawyers, or something else.

John Mattox

NS Nation Name: Meretica
Character Name: John Amos Mattox III
Character Gender: Male
Character Age: 55
Character Height: 6'4"
Character Weight: 199 lbs
Character Position/Role/Job: House Whip (2007-Present); Congressman from Massachusetts (1986-Present); Democratic Whip (1997-2001); House Minority Leader (2001-2007)
Character Country/State of Birth: Massachusetts (specifically Concord, MA-3)
Character State of Residence: Massachusetts
Character Party Affiliation: Democratic
Face Claim: Jeb Bush (circa 2007)
Main Strengths: Establishment politician, been around since the Reagan-era, Vietnam Vet, slowly becoming more progressive, well-connected, and organized, humble war hero
Main Weaknesses: Faced close primary in 2006 with Progressives, wary of the Super Progressives and has not made any strong stances on them despite being a New England liberal, can occasionally buck the party for his own interests, skipped the Iraq vote due to “illness”

Biography: John Amos Mattox III (born January 3, 1952), sometimes referred to as JAM (like you’d put on a biscuit or piece of toast), is a Massachusetts politician currently serving as a Democrat from the third congressional district. Mattox is a Vietnam veteran, an establishment politician, and an old-style New England liberal. Mattox is typically classified as a Progressive Skeptic despite being a relatively liberal member of the House. Mattox worked with politicians like John Kerry, Tip O’Neil, and others to build an agenda that was acceptable to the American people.

After finishing high school, Mattox had hoped to attend college but was drafted after his graduation in 1970. Mattox joined the Air Force and served in Vietnam, earning the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Medal of Honor by Congress in 1976 for “actions as a prisoner of war.” Mattox was captured by the Viet-Cong in 1972 and was held until shortly after the war ended. Though he said nothing at first, several men he was released with explained that Mattox had often given his rations to other prisoners and encouraged them to stay alive. He attempted to nurse three fellow POWs back to health, but two of them died. The third shared detailed experiences of life as a POW with his family, military leaders, and Congressman Harold Donohue of Massachusett’s 3rd District, which Mattox would later represent. Rep. Donohue submitted Mattox’s name to Congress, and a special act was passed to award Mattox with the Medal of Honor, despite his protests. Mattox rarely if ever discussed his days as a veteran, preferring not to share his harrowing experiences.

In 1976, Mattox began to attend college and married Annabelle Wolfe (then 20 years old), the daughter of a state legislator. John and Annabelle had two sets of twins, one in 1977 (Bella and Henry) and the other in 1988 (Thalia and Avery). Thanks to the wealth of their families, the Mattox’s were able to prosper in Concord. After graduating in 1980, Mattox joined the workforce as an architect. Mattox made a relatively good salary and paid back both his parents and his in-laws for the funds that they had provided with interest. Mattox enjoyed his peaceful life and was appointed to work with a large team on the Big Dig. Mattox left the project out of frustration in late 1982, believing that his advice and expertise were being ignored. He returned to working with private firms.

In 1984, Congressman Joseph D. Early announced he was entering early retirement. Mattox announced that he would run for the seat a few days later, despite having no political experience. Despite wanting to focus on policy, Mattox won the primary largely because of a debate during which his opponent was questioning his military record. In a rare burst of anger, Mattox spat, “If you want to question my record, have at it, but you will not be forgiven for attacking the sacrifices I gave to my country.” Mattox promptly left the debate, joined by his wife. He won the primary a few weeks later in a landslide, followed by a landslide election to the House.

Mattox took rather liberal stances on various issues and tried not to stray from the party line if he could avoid it. He voted against some of the worst excesses of Reagan and supported Dukakis for president in 1988. In 1992, Mattox advocated for Tom Harkin’s candidacy. In 1992 and 1996, Mattox voted for Clinton. In 2000, he supported Al Gore during the primaries solely because he was more liberal than anyone else running; however, he voted for Ralph Nader. Mattox voted against certifying the 2000 Presidential Election in Florida.

In 2004, Howard Dean was Mattox’s preferred presidential choice, but he voted for John Kerry. In 2006, Mattox was primaried by a progressive. Mattox somewhat surprisingly adopted several policies, including the abolition of the electoral college, introducing additional hate crime legislation, repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and more that were considered somewhat out of the mainstream. Mattox narrowly won his primary but went on to win his election easily. Mattox is wary of the super progressives and isn’t sure how much longer he will last in Congress without being pushed too far left.

Mattox became the Whip of the House Democratic Caucus in January 1997. Despite his calm nature, Mattox is known for being relatively harsh regarding party-line votes, using ethically shady tactics to force other Democrats to keep to the party line. He also works with Reps to make sure their districts get crucial funding if he’s able to and has gained the trust of the Democratic Caucus. In 2003, he was elevated to serve as House Minority Leader but returned to the position of Whip in 2007. As Whip, Mattox has done what he can to limit the worst of President not-Bush and work with the Democratic Senate Whip to push a Democratic agenda to unite the party around a left-leaning agenda and keep some of the more progressive members in line. Mattox finds the position of Whip to be enjoyable. He has aspirations to seek higher office but has not said so publicly. Close friends suspect he will seek the presidency in 2012 if the Democrats fail in 2008.

Other Info:
Children: Bella (30), Henry (30), Thalia (19), Avery (19)

Thalia and Avery are currently Georgetown University attendees studying political science and economics respectively. Henry is a member of the Massachusetts State Senate and his father’s heir apparent in state politics; if his father leaves the House, Henry will run for his father’s seat. Henry is married to Bernice Young, and they have fathered two children: John IV, Joseph, and Jessica. Bella serves as an architect and works with the government on infrastructure projects. Mattox has sometimes come under suspicion for helping his daughter find work, but this has never been proven and stays out of the news. Mattox’s wife, Annabelle, currently has early-onset Alzheimer’s, leading Mattox to join the Alzheimer’s research caucus. He is one of the best-known advocates for Alzheimer’s research in Congress. Annabelle is expected to pass within the next five years.

Cassandra Hepburn-Smith

NS Nation Name: Meretica
Character Name: Cassandra Hepburn-Smith
Character Gender: Female
Character Age: 65
Character Height: 6'0"
Character Weight: 166 lbs
Character Position/Role/Job: Senator (2003-Present), VA Attorney General (1998-2002)
Character Country/State of Birth: Virginia
Character State of Residence: Virginia (specifically Arlington/D.C.)
Character Party Affiliation: Republican
Face Claim: Helen Mirren (circa 2007)
Main Strengths: Moderate, prefers compromise, establishment member, popular, well-known in her state, stays close to the people
Main Weaknesses: Sometimes seen as too moderate, comes from money, accused of being a maverick (which can be a strength)

Biography: Born in 1943, Cassandra Hepburn-Smith nee Livingston is a moderate Republican Senator from Virginia. Cassie grew up in a relatively wealthy family during the end of FDR’s and the start of Truman’s presidencies and was influenced early on to be a moderate Republican by her father, who had been a Republican his entire life. Living in relative prosperity regardless of how the national economy was faring, Cassie was an only child.

After graduating as the valedictorian of her class, Cassie attended Harvard Law School thanks to her father’s wealth. She graduated in the top third of her class and joined a law firm in Washington, D.C. In the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, Cassie began working for Republican members of Congress regarding Constitutional law, which she had specialized in. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Cassie wrote dozens of editorials fighting abortion. In 1993, Cassie ran for the position of Virginia Attorney General and won as a Republican; she was reelected in 1997 and 2001, but in 2002 she resigned to run for Senate as the sitting Senator chose to enter early retirement. She easily trounced her opponents.

Cassie has been a strong supporter of President Bush and is publicly wary of the progressive movement, saying, “What we’re seeing here is very alarming, very worrying. I know that we need some changes to parts of our economy, but these people are pushing things a little too far, don’t you think?”

Cassie is married to Glenn Hepburn-Smith, a corporate lawyer from Maryland. They have a daughter, Angela; she was born in 1988 in hard labor. Cassie tries not to discuss her personal life, and thus little is disclosed to the public. Cassie prefers focusing on the issues to focusing on herself, but she has started focusing on how she overcame anti-women attitudes to become a leading politician in her state.

Cassie has worked closely with moderates to pass the Prison Rape Elimination Act; the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act; and the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban. She was also a strong supporter of increasing funding for No Child Left Behind. Cassie pushed to include $25 billion in funding for rural areas in the MMA, and she campaigned across Virginia in support of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act. She announced support for the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2003, but it never came to the floor for a vote.

Cassie criticized how Hurricane Katrina was handled, saying that it should've been handled more quickly, and she was extremely angry with the 109th Congress and its "Do Nothing" attitude. She did, however, support the Stem Cell Research Enhancement bills and quietly opposed President Cush's veto.

Other Info:
Cassie is well-known for having weekly town halls open to the public across Virginia each week. While she will continue holding weekly town halls open to the public, she will not stay in Virginia. Voters in Maryland, D.C., and West Virginia have sometimes crossed state lines because they view Cassie as their voice in Congress despite having elected officials themselves (except in the case of D.C.). Additionally, Cassie advocates for all US territories holding referendums to determine their futures, focusing on statehood, continued protection as a territory, or independence. Cassie has included D.C., but adds a fourth option, that option being that D.C. can either join Virginia or Maryland. Cassie believes that Ranked-Choice Voting should be used for these issues.