Columbia TimesConservative candidate leading the packApril 6, 1993
National Commonwealth Party nominee, Jack Loucks, is at the top of the polls in Columbia's first presidential election. He is currently polling at 39%. His closest competitor is Republican Joe Biden, who is the favourite of 32% of those polled. The poll was conducted among 1,000 possible voters all across Columbia.
Mr Loucks is running on a very hard-right platform. For one, he has called for harsh crackdowns on former communists across the country. He wants to invest heavily in the military to make it a small, but relatively effective fighting force. On top of this, he has called for more intensive surveillance of what he calls "Those who might pose a future threat to the country".
His social policies also reflect his right-wing campaign. He plans to ban all abortions unless they are truly necessary for the mother's survival. A new "family values" program is also another one of his proposed reforms.
It is his views on expansion, however, that has turned many heads. He has stated that he wishes to see Columbia most of former Gettysburg. Mr Loucks has called for the current president of Columbia to allow for the people of these regions to join Columbia.
Of course, his candidacy has faced sharp criticism. Mr Biden has called him a "dangerous authoritarian" who will risk destroying the republic before it even had the chance to develop.