The Land Of The Free: An American Political Roleplay (IC)

[Sarenium]

Jillian Dayton @JillianDayton Every state is winnable when we try, and a candidate who tries, will be a candidate who I trust can form the broadest coalition of Texans.

[Sanabel]

Nathaniel Richardson
South Carolina
05/01/2019

Richardson saw the news, talked with his team and tweeted out about the surprise Texas race, now for the next part of his plan he texted Laura Dunn in Germany.

Laura, have you seen the news about the Texas special? Please call me when you get the chance.

Shooting off the text he await a response, all the while re-arranging his schedule to accommodate the new developments.

Laura picked up the phone to call Richardson from her walled Berlin residence.

“Hello, Governor.”

[Dentali]

Nathaniel Richardson
South Carolina
05/01/2019

Richardson saw the news, talked with his team and tweeted out about the surprise Texas race, now for the next part of his plan he texted Laura Dunn in Germany.

Laura, have you seen the news about the Texas special? Please call me when you get the chance.

Shooting off the text he await a response, all the while re-arranging his schedule to accommodate the new developments.

Laura picked up the phone to call Richardson from her walled Berlin residence.

“Hello, Governor.”

"Ambassador its good to hear from you... How closely are you following this Texas mess?"

[Sanabel]

Laura picked up the phone to call Richardson from her walled Berlin residence.

“Hello, Governor.”

"Ambassador its good to hear from you... How closely are you following this Texas mess?"

“I’ve been watching, I’ve been watching. I’m not sure who to throw my weight behind, how about you?”

[Dentali]

"Ambassador its good to hear from you... How closely are you following this Texas mess?"

“I’ve been watching, I’ve been watching. I’m not sure who to throw my weight behind, how about you?”

"I'm not sure either. I suspect a half dozen to come out of the woodwork in the next week. The election should be in about 5 weeks. I'm hoping to pick a good candidate within the next two... I was hoping you would be able to advise me on it? Obviously no rush but I would appreciate your counsel, we really need to make sure we win this one... it was such a near run thing last year."

[Bruke]

Volek raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Forgive me for being blunt, but all this abstract political theory sounds like promising one thing and delivering another. FDR had plans, sure, but he also made sure his plans matched his rhetoric- LBJ was the same. The Four Freedoms and the Great Society were inspirational frameworks that anyone could agree with. Populism at its core is not inspirational- it's antagonistic."

"Populism may have been the wrong word...I think lowbrow politics is a better word - aggressive, strong rhetoric, meant to appeal to the average American. And even if we were to take an antagonistic stance, we'd be fighting an opponent that's always tossing us more ammo day after day - misogyny, racism, incompetence...Mass shootings, terrorist attacks: they're easy opponents to fight if you can do it right.

We don't really have a word for this sort of politics. After all, it's rather new: utilising much of the extremist's tactics without deviating from the centrist platform. It's more about presentation than any concrete change in politics."

Internally, Volek was amused by Goldman's use of the phrase "lowbrow politics". Lowbrow politics, in his experience, involved smearing an opponent in the press, intimidating troublemakers at campaign events, and blackmailing rivals- at best.

"Right... I suppose I'll have to see what you mean when you're out on the campaign trail."

[The World Capitalist Confederation]

"Populism may have been the wrong word...I think lowbrow politics is a better word - aggressive, strong rhetoric, meant to appeal to the average American. And even if we were to take an antagonistic stance, we'd be fighting an opponent that's always tossing us more ammo day after day - misogyny, racism, incompetence...Mass shootings, terrorist attacks: they're easy opponents to fight if you can do it right.

We don't really have a word for this sort of politics. After all, it's rather new: utilising much of the extremist's tactics without deviating from the centrist platform. It's more about presentation than any concrete change in politics."

Internally, Volek was amused by Goldman's use of the phrase "lowbrow politics". Lowbrow politics, in his experience, involved smearing an opponent in the press, intimidating troublemakers at campaign events, and blackmailing rivals- at best.

"Right... I suppose I'll have to see what you mean when you're out on the campaign trail."

"I mean sort of working-class politics. The politics that people in the lower echelons of our society feel and can resonate with. Aggressive, strong, vanguardist. It's strong politics, appealing to low-informatiom voters and.others generally turned off by the system. It's an appeal to Wolf voters. They're not racists, they're not misogynists, they're just looking for a strong leader."

[Puertollano]

Randy Cramp @RandyCrampy Fresh off the press, our new campaign logo:

[Sanabel]

“I’ve been watching, I’ve been watching. I’m not sure who to throw my weight behind, how about you?”

"I'm not sure either. I suspect a half dozen to come out of the woodwork in the next week. The election should be in about 5 weeks. I'm hoping to pick a good candidate within the next two... I was hoping you would be able to advise me on it? Obviously no rush but I would appreciate your counsel, we really need to make sure we win this one... it was such a near run thing last year."

“Ideologically- I’m with Randy Cramp. The so called ‘conventional’ choice electorally would probably be De Lange. I worry he won’t turn out conservatives though, not in enough numbers to beat whichever numbskull the Democrat Party goes with.”

[Alaskava]

Note: The Following Tweets were sent out in both English and Spanish.

Cynthia Rogers-Gonzalez
@BackwardsAndInHeels

---

It is with great excitement that I announce that I intend to run in the Special Election for the Texas Senate seat left vacant by Senator Goldwater. Texas deserves a Senator who knows how to build coalitions, who is committed to protecting the rights of all Texans, and who can step into the office on day one with all of the experience necessary to succeed in the job. Someone who can #TurnTexasBlue

Cynthia Rogers-Gonzalez
@BackwardsAndInHeels

---

Texans should never have to fear that they will be targeted because of the color of their skin, or belittled because of their sexual orientation, or harassed because of their gender identity. And the women of Texas should not have to fear that their reproductive rights will be stripped away from them by eager Republicans. We need a Senator from Texas who will fight for all Texans, and that is what I intend to do in this campaign. May the best woman win!

[Puertollano]

Levi Murphy Rally
Boston, Massachusetts



Following his program based in Nevada, as well as the Latino and Hispanic outreach that was conducted in the area, Team Levi moved onto to Massachusetts, a bit a of detour to where they were originally planning on visiting next. The fact of the matter was, Levi's long-time friend Abigail Winthrop was under attack by anti-progressive forces in the party that wanted her gone. To help a friend, Levi decided to move his next few events to major cities in Massachusetts to both campaign for his presidential campaign but also on the behalf of Senator Winthrop. The truth also was that Massachusetts was an important Super Tuesday state this year and Levi was going into Super Tuesday prepared. His team had already done a lot of working laying the groundwork for a big win in California, but now it was time to lay the groundwork for a win in Winthrop's home state too.

Levi's North East Political Director, who was responsible for the campaigns in New Hampshire, Massachusetts (so on and so forth), Gemma Aricudo, took to the stage first. As a good orator, she would get the crowd roaring for when Senator Murphy took to the stage.

"Having a good day, Boston? I hope you are. Because we're bringing on a crew of powerful progressive voices today! Let's blow the roof off of this building with our power today, okay? As progressives, we understand the need to fight, to join together, link arms in solidarity. That's how we got stuff done. That's how the generations before us got stuff done. That's how we're going to get stuff done, not only as a Presidential campaign, but as a movement. The movement includes everyone, not just Senator Levi Murphy. No, the movement includes our progressive allies across this country. It includes our friend in Arizona, Representative Nez. And, of course, it includes our great friend and now supporter of the campaign, Senator Winthrop. We're privileged to have her support. Winthrop has been a fighter, a lover and a person who gets stuff done. Winthrop is the mother of progressives, we all owe her a lot of gratitude for her work, including the new bill in the Senate; the Off Fossil Fuels Act. Co-sponsored by non other than Levi Murphy, we're paving the way, as a movement, towards a Green New Deal. Towards a sustainable future. Towards victory - and talking about victory, we need to get Levi on stage already. Let's get the current Democratic front-runner on stage. Give it up for Levi!"

'We're not going to take it' by Twisted Sister played as Levi took to the stage, hugged Gemma and she passed the microphone to him. Levi took in the energy from the crowd, mostly of young people. "Let's win with Winthrop!" He said, the crowd went crazy. Levi waited for it to calm down a little.

"Thanks Boston for your energy, excitement , enthusiasm. You are the kind of people that build, join and help lead our revolution to the White House. It's all of you who need to be enrolled to vote, to go to the polling booths, and join our campaigns to vote. But when I come here to Boston today, I'm not only talking about my Presidential campaign. That would be selfish of me. I'm talking about the movement. This movement includes by friend Senator Winthrop. We need to unite together and fight for progressives, whether that be in the Presidential election or in the Senate. That's why, today, I officially endorse Winthrop for Senate." The crowd roared.

"I appreciate party democracy, so I welcome the former Governor to the race, but I'm about progressives, I'm about fighters, and I'm ready to win with Winthrop. I've spent many years with her in the Senate, and I've never known someone as diligent, strong, capable. She's a leader in the Senator, trust me, more than the Republican Leadership in the Senate. She's an advocate, she refuses to bow down to pressures. Whether that be from the Republicans, Wall St or even inside the party. Winthrop is what all Senators should strive for - someone who puts the interests of her constituents first, not big business, and persists even in the face of defeat. It would be amiss for Massachusetts not to re-elect this powerful woman, it would be amiss not to re-elect Abigail."

Levi pivoted to a new topic. "And I'm glad to have her endorsement. It means that we're on the right track. Fighting for the things that truly matter for working people and working class communities from sea to shining sea. As you may know, I'm a supporter of Medicare for All. Universal coverage must be given to everyone, free-of-charge, because out of integrity, I believe healthcare is a right. Medicare for All is the expansion of Medicare to cover everyone, men, women, children, it'll cover mental health, dental health, reproductive and maternal health, substance abuse rehabilitation help. It will provide universal coverage to every American - that's because it is the American way - to care for our neighbors, brothers, sisters, family, community. Medicare for All means everyone is cared for, no matter the size of their wallet. Medicare for All means no more Go-Fund-Me pages for life-saving surgery. Medicare for All means putting workers first, and big private insurance companies last."

"You may have also seen my Anti-Corruption Plan made a few of the headlines," he joked. "I'm serious about taking on the vested interests in Washington D.C., taking on the swamp, and clearing the whole place out. My Plan includes banning all corporate donations through a constitutional amendment. That amendment would also repeal Citizens United. I will ban corporate donations to the Democratic Party and Democratic National Committee - no banks should be bankrolling our party, or war profiteers or large fossil fuel giants. The Plan will pass legislation to ensure public funding exists on a state level and prohibits the elimination of that. It will introduce a new Democracy Dollars system, where all Americans will have an allotted $100 to donate to whichever political campaigns they like each election season. But, some of the biggest corporate-money takers in Washington D.C. are mad at me for this next proposal, and there are going crazy about it. I want to have body-mounted cameras on all lobbyists in Washington D.C. to live-stream meetings politicians have with them. It's pretty clear and simple. As the people who elect our representatives, we should be able to see who they're talking to and what they're talking about. In fact, Governor Richardson attacked me on Twitter the other day," the crowd booed at his name. "Richardson said something along the lines of 'if you want body-cameras, why don't you put on a body camera when you speak to lobbyists!'. Well, Governor, here's the catch: I don't even speak to them. Please don't try to transparently hide your dealings in back door rooms. Let the people see what's going on. It's the politicians who have something to hide are the ones attacking me the most on this."

[Gordano and Lysandus]

From: [Representative Caroline Simone]
To: [Representative Kathleen Nez]

Hi Kathleen,

Did you sign off on Murphy's people namedropping you up in Massachusetts for the sake of his own campaign? I didn't think you'd endorsed yet, and whilst I'm not surprised he's trying to invoke you without your permission, would just like to be sure in case I need to defend a colleague from any malarkey.

Yours,

Carrie.

[Gordano and Lysandus]

John Nathan Lynskey
@JNLynskeyMA

---

With Senator Murphy now campaigning for Winthrop's Senate race, and with Senator Winthrop campaigning for Murphy's Presidential race, maybe they should consider a swap? Massachusetts is a lovely state, always welcome to take in new people. As it stands, I'm for the Green New Deal, I'm for getting money out of our politics, and I'm for providing revolution to healthcare and more support to our students.

John Nathan Lynskey
@JNLynskeyMA

---

I stand on a progressive record and on a progressive platform. At the end of the day, actions speak louder than words, and some people haven't put their money where their mouth is.

[Gordano and Lysandus]

(Image) Jillian Dayton @JillianDayton Every state is winnable when we try, and a candidate who tries, will be a candidate who I trust can form the broadest coalition of Texans. (Image)

Liked and retweeted by @SimoneNY12.

[Sanabel]

Black Cowboy Festival, Rembert, South Carolina
(May 3rd, 2019)


Another day, another fair. That’s how it felt for Mike. Though he did enjoy the people, the atmosphere, etc, the grind of eating fried food, drinking beer, and taking pictures with people who recognized him from The Chat was getting old. The campaign was slowly sweeping across the state, and having left the upstate the candidate was making his presence known i the midlands- a central belt populated with majority African Americans.

The campaign had come to the conclusion that Senator Little’s hold on the African American population would be tenuous at best. His campaigning was fairly infrequent, and his connections with the former president Baharia limited aside from his race. As a moderate, establishment figure with ties to the 44th President who remained influential, Velez had a chance to win over the black vote. Doing it wouldn’t be easy. Many had tried before, and many had failed. Much like with the upstate voters, the campaign had to prove they were not just talking at the black community and expecting votes. They had to do what Clifford and Baharia did, which is actually show up. It worked for Velez in running for chair of the State Democratic Party, and it worked for running for Governor, so he was used to the idea. To get started, the campaign set up a booth at the popular Black Cowboy Festival, a western themed heritage event in Sumter County.

The festival was incredibly interesting, far more so than looking at plants. Velez watched a rodeo, took part in a “Self Reliance” workshop, and rode a mechanical bull. As the sun went down, he listened to the live African drum music, danced a bit, and ate the delicious food at the event’s fish fry. It was such a good time that it barely felt like work, save for the selfies he had to take and pamphlets his staffers had to hand out.

Toward the end of the night, Velez went to a pre-arranged meeting after the “Motown Jam Show” with the organizers of the event. When they heard he was coming, volunteers with the Black Cultural Enlightenment Society wanted to meet with him.

“Hello Governor!” Said one of the volunteers. “You’re the guy from the ads aren’t you? I saw you on Facebook.”

“Yes that’s me,” Velez chuckled. “Hopefully they aren’t too annoying.”

“Of course not. We’re used to it, it’s South Carolina after all.”

“I know, but it’s a shame it has to start so early! The presidential contest, I mean. I really hope I didn’t take away from your event here. I had a great time, honestly and truly, by my mother’s life. I never knew riding a mechanical bull would be so much fun- even if it killed my back.”

The volunteers laughed. “Maybe it’s best not to do it again at your age,” an elderly woman said.

“I’m not that old,” he replied.

“You know,” began one woman, “you’re the first presidential candidate to come to the Black Cowboy Festival since Baharia back in 2008. We couldn’t even get Clifford down her!”

Velez looked somewhat surprised. “Really? Now that’s a shocker. Politics aside, they should’ve at least come for the fish fry!”

Again, there was some more laughter. “You know,” one volunteer said, “some of the volunteers from the Black Cultural Enlightenment Society are going down to Columbia in ‘bout 10 days for a protest regarding the Confederate Memorial Day. You should come, Governor. Maybe you could draw some attention to it, it’s another event that’s often neglected.”

Mike nodded knowingly. “I wouldn’t miss it,” he said. “I’ll save my remarks for that day but- well, I don’t have to tell you that there’s a lot that needs to change in this country. And I have a big platform of change that I’m still in the process of unveiling.”

The volunteers nodded, as the tone turned more serious.

“Our organization is really struggling,” one woman said. “We put this event on and the community loves it, it’s important for the whole County. But we just don’t have the funds to do everything we gotta do.”

Velez nodded. “Right. That’s a story I hear all too often. I assure you, increased grants for non-profits like this are going to be on the table. As a guy who worked in the non-profit sector for a long time myself, I know how important federal grants are. We will increase funding for them, and make sure that funding makes it to the right places. Especially black-owned and operated organizations like this.”

The volunteers murmured in agreement.

“I’ll have more details to come. In the meantime, let’s forget about the politics and get back to the festival. The music is great, the dancing is great, but if I eat another bite I’ll explode.”

The volunteers chuckled. One woman patted him on the back and said, “Well, you just come with me and we will make some room for my hush puppies.”

Mike laughed, realizing it wasn’t the beer he had to worry about. The further toward the low country he moved, the richer the food was becoming.

[Federal States of Xathuecia]

Karen Brookshire
@BrookshireGal

---

The women of Texas deserve to be safe! And so do all Texans, including our diverse communities and our most vulnerable. That is why the DEATH PENALTY must be brought back to remove rapists, lynchers, and child abusers! We must #FightForAmerica!

Karen Brookshire
@BrookshireGal

---

We must STRENGTHEN and TOUGHEN our laws to protect women from assault, end violent racist acts, and defend our children. #Brookshire2020

Karen Brookshire
@BrookshireGal

---

I PROMISE to introduce legislation strengthening sexual assault sentences, make lynching a federal crime with teeth to enforce it, and end child marriage! We must fight to restore morality in this country, restore our values, this is what will #KeepTexasRed!

[New Cobastheia]

From: [Representative Caroline Simone]
To: [Representative Kathleen Nez]

Hi Kathleen,

Did you sign off on Murphy's people namedropping you up in Massachusetts for the sake of his own campaign? I didn't think you'd endorsed yet, and whilst I'm not surprised he's trying to invoke you without your permission, would just like to be sure in case I need to defend a colleague from any malarkey.

Yours,

Carrie.

Kathleen, who being honest here, doesn't feel the need to watch every rally Sen. Murphy puts on, was a bit confused when she got the email. So before responding with a quick email from her phone she looked up the rally on the internet.

From: [Repsenative Nez]
To: [Represenative Simone]

I don't think I did. Seems more like he's saying it more out of a like "look we're all progressives" thing. I'm not to bothered by it for the time being, but I'll let you know if it starts to get out of hand.

Ahe'hee,
Kathleen

[Gordano and Lysandus]

From: [Repsenative Nez]
To: [Represenative Simone]

I don't think I did. Seems more like he's saying it more out of a like "look we're all progressives" thing. I'm not to bothered by it for the time being, but I'll let you know if it starts to get out of hand.

Ahe'hee,
Kathleen

FROM: [Representative Caroline Simone]
TO: [Representative Kathleen Nez]

Hi Kathleen,

Alright, just wanted to be sure that you weren't being bounced into anything. Let me know if you need anything. Incidentally, how goes trying to get your appropriation reform bill lined up?

Yours,

Carrie.

[New Cobastheia]

From: [Repsenative Nez]
To: [Represenative Simone]

I don't think I did. Seems more like he's saying it more out of a like "look we're all progressives" thing. I'm not to bothered by it for the time being, but I'll let you know if it starts to get out of hand.

Ahe'hee,
Kathleen

FROM: [Representative Caroline Simone]
TO: [Representative Kathleen Nez]

Hi Kathleen,

Alright, just wanted to be sure that you weren't being bounced into anything. Let me know if you need anything. Incidentally, how goes trying to get your appropriation reform bill lined up?

Yours,

Carrie.

From: [Represenative Nez]
To: [Representative Simone]

Well, thanks for checking up with me. Trust me though, I think I can handle the man myself, but it is always nice to have backup when needed.

It doesn't seem like many Republican Senators are open to co-sponsoring it. Never got much of a response out of Kost or Hawthrowe. Anderson told me he liked it, except for the part about the treaties with the Cherokee and Choctaw to my great annoyance. Made me want to call him things that don't seem all that appropriate being written down in an email between Congresswoman. I did get the Dean of the House to sign on to it though so I'd imagine that has to count for something among Republicans, at least in the House. I'm starting to think the bill has more of a political point to it without Senator co-sponsors, shame it doesn't seem like this kind of thing can happen via a simple resolution instead.

You get any word from Volker on the bill?

[Alozia]

Washington D.C.
April 29, 2019

After the events of the previous day Anne decided to stay in Washington for an additional day. Caldwell was glad the hotel agreed to prolong her stay, she knew how busy the capital could be at pretty much every time of year. She was positively surprised to receive a basket of flowers from her old House colleague Caroline Simone. Having scheduled a couple of meetings at the Capitol Hill Anne did her best to prepare before heading out of the hotel she was staying at.

Her first stop would be the office of her presidential primary opponent Senator Levi Murphy. If she had to rank her opponents in terms of her personal liking of them Levi might even be at the top of that list, and if not at least somewhere near the #1 spot. Entering the somewhat familiar building Anne made her way past security and towards Murphy's office. She greeted the secretary who led her to the Senator.

"Levi!" Anne greeted Murphy as a Caldwell would. "How are you?"

[Puertollano]

Washington D.C.
April 29, 2019

After the events of the previous day Anne decided to stay in Washington for an additional day. Caldwell was glad the hotel agreed to prolong her stay, she knew how busy the capital could be at pretty much every time of year. She was positively surprised to receive a basket of flowers from her old House colleague Caroline Simone. Having scheduled a couple of meetings at the Capitol Hill Anne did her best to prepare before heading out of the hotel she was staying at.

Her first stop would be the office of her presidential primary opponent Senator Levi Murphy. If she had to rank her opponents in terms of her personal liking of them Levi might even be at the top of that list, and if not at least somewhere near the #1 spot. Entering the somewhat familiar building Anne made her way past security and towards Murphy's office. She greeted the secretary who led her to the Senator.

"Levi!" Anne greeted Murphy as a Caldwell would. "How are you?"

"I'm good, great performance at the forum today," he said, offering her to take a seat at the desk. "I hope the campaign trail is treating you well. I've enjoyed it, myself."

[Sarenium]

Tim Westra
Healthcare Roundtable

"Right then, we'll move onto the final plan...mine. I'll allow all of you to field your questions, right after I lay out the plan."

"My plan is an expansive public health insurance option, I call it Medicare for America. It does not involve several denominations of the plan that puts more power in the hands of private insurance companies. It is not a public health service that socializes medicine. And it is not single payer."

"If union workers like their negotiated private plans they can keep them with this system. The uninsured would be automatically enrolled in the public plan, which would guarantee universal healthcare. Newborns would be enrolled automatically as well, unless their parents opt out. The poor, meaning those earning below 200% of the federal poverty line, would be exempt from premiums and cost sharing. It would be free and fully subsidized for the needy. Everybody else would make payments on a sliding scale, from 200% of the FPL to 600%. Premiums would be capped at 8% of income, cost sharing at 2%. For the rich, they would pay the full premium amount as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services."

"This plan would create a universal healthcare system regardless of who uses which plan. The uninsured would be on the public option, and if other people opt-in to this plan they would be covered as well. Private insurance would have to lower costs and compete with the public option. This utilizes government spending and market forces to create a clean, affordable, universal healthcare system for all."

"Questions? Criticisms? Concerns? The Democratic Party must eventually come together to forge the strongest healthcare proposal possible. I liked a lot of what I heard from Senator Dayton, especially with the list pricing system. I liked Frank's idea for a basic package of healthcare guaranteed to everybody for free. Ben was right about keeping what works with the ACA; I wrote the bill and hope to keep the tax credits, perhaps expand them. And obviously I appreciate the universality of Medicare for All. This is about taking what's best in all of our plans and creating a strong, Democratic plan for universal healthcare. That is the biggest struggle for our party."

Tim broke the awkward silence, "Since it seems we don't have very many questions about my plan, I'll move towards ending the event. If any questions do pop into your heads, feel free to share them. But I do want to end this on a lighter note."

"The question is, who is your political hero and why? We'll go around the table, I'll just start. My heroes are Henry Wallace, Frances Perkins, and the president they served under, FDR. To me, these figures represent the perfect combination of idealism and implementation. They weren't afraid to dream big and fight hard for concrete reforms. I think that's what progressivism is about. They make me proud to call myself a New Deal Liberal. Henry Wallace was a strong fighter for rural America, and wasn't afraid to stand up to the political establishment even when it threatened his reputation and career. Frances Perkins was perhaps the most pro-labor cabinet official we will ever have. And we all know how FDR managed to unite the party, and the country, behind a bold progressive vision that was both reachable and idealistic."

"So we'll just go around the table, Senator Dayton: who are your political heroes?"

Jillian answered flatly, "Presidents Roosevelt and Kennedy are up there. Although, I do admit my favorite political figure of all time would land on the late Ted Kennedy. I had the privilege of working with him from a distance while I was in the House and he, still in the Senate."

[Alozia]

Washington D.C.
April 29, 2019

After the events of the previous day Anne decided to stay in Washington for an additional day. Caldwell was glad the hotel agreed to prolong her stay, she knew how busy the capital could be at pretty much every time of year. She was positively surprised to receive a basket of flowers from her old House colleague Caroline Simone. Having scheduled a couple of meetings at the Capitol Hill Anne did her best to prepare before heading out of the hotel she was staying at.

Her first stop would be the office of her presidential primary opponent Senator Levi Murphy. If she had to rank her opponents in terms of her personal liking of them Levi might even be at the top of that list, and if not at least somewhere near the #1 spot. Entering the somewhat familiar building Anne made her way past security and towards Murphy's office. She greeted the secretary who led her to the Senator.

"Levi!" Anne greeted Murphy as a Caldwell would. "How are you?"

"I'm good, great performance at the forum today," he said, offering her to take a seat at the desk. "I hope the campaign trail is treating you well. I've enjoyed it, myself."

"Thank you." Anne replied shaking Levi's hand before taking a seat. "I'm glad our experiences are a like."

Caldwell was curious as to why Levi requested this meeting.

[Dentali]

"I'm not sure either. I suspect a half dozen to come out of the woodwork in the next week. The election should be in about 5 weeks. I'm hoping to pick a good candidate within the next two... I was hoping you would be able to advise me on it? Obviously no rush but I would appreciate your counsel, we really need to make sure we win this one... it was such a near run thing last year."

“Ideologically- I’m with Randy Cramp. The so called ‘conventional’ choice electorally would probably be De Lange. I worry he won’t turn out conservatives though, not in enough numbers to beat whichever numbskull the Democrat Party goes with.”

"The problem is right now we have 3 republicans and 2 democrats. In a Jungle their is a very real chance that the two highest vote getters are democrats. De Lange probably is polling best right now... just a gut feeling because of name recognition. He would be safe sure but he has been in politics for decade and done nothing of any note, yea if could live with that but its not exactly an exciting choice and turnout will matter."

Quietly to himself Richardson also thought "I could probably cut him a deal to drop out for a minor cabinet post."

"Cramp... yes I align with him but i'm not sure how he'd perform on the job, and he's always seemed a bit... erratic to me. Ideally I would like to seem them debate and how they perform under pressure."

"I do like Brookshire at least on paper and on twitter. Very much for balanced budgets and she has a great record in the private sector. She has a fire I think people could respond to."

[Von Markstein]

To: Jane Martinez
From Jack Chambers (Email)

Dear Ms. Martinez,

Hope you are doing well, this is Governor of Nebraska Jack Chambers. I’m writing to schedule a meeting over phone at your convenience. I’ve been a big fan of your work both in Congress and with the Susan B Anthony list. I think we can help each other out and hope to hear from you soon.

Best regards,

Jack Chambers