2018 Presidential Election

I predict Barbara Layton. She doesn't have to bail from her Senate reelection in North Carolina in order to run. We shall see.
I think Duke-Scheider! But whatever the handicap of each of these candidates, I don't think it really matters who Duke wants, the question remains who of these candidates really want to be on a ticket led by Duke? Apart from Wheeler or Layton, it seems the others on the list will decide to accept an offer if its in their best political interest! Laura Shallick is a good possibility as is Kendrick! But Duke will not get to dictate who his running mate turns out! I know this discussion focuses on Duke's options; but I am thinking now that Virginia has a Democratic Governor, Lou Thornton is looking even better as Seaborn's running mate, or even Meredith Payne, the Treasury Secretary.
 
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I believe the characterization of Duke has been well done by the writing staff. You have made a guy who while I don’t like but you make him a three dimensional person.

As for Duke’s VP choice? Not a clue.

Great job to Mark, Lord, and MD17
 
Regarding all the speculation on both running-mates, if people want to direct DM me with their predictions for both Dem and Rep, I will keep a tally, and those who get either or both correct I will give a big shout out to in a couple of months time or so when you will know who they are.
 
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Thursday April 28th, 2022

Head to Head Polling

Seaborn 42%
Duke 34%
Long 8%
Green nominee 6%
Undecided 10%
 
The Green nominee is polling at 6%. That is what Straus got in 2018. Is the far left still that pissed at Seaborn that even with the prospect of Duke as President they won't vote for Seaborn?
 
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Regarding all the speculation on both running-mates, if people want to direct DM me with their predictions for both Dem and Rep, I will keep a tally, and those who get either or both correct I will give a big shout out to in a couple of months time or so when you will know who they are.
What page was the Dem VP list on again?
 
Three more Senate histories to get us to less than 10 states' lists left.
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Lists of United States Senators (1985-present)
ALAKAZARCACOCTDEFLGAHI • ID • IL • IN • IAKS • KY • LA • ME • MDMA • MI • MN • MS • MO • MT • NE • NV • NH • NJ • NM • NY NCNDOHOK • OR • PARISCSDTNTXUTVTVAWA WVWIWY
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United States Senators from Idaho
Class 2
1973-1991: Troy McClure (Republican)
Elections: 1972, 1978, 1984
1991-2003: Chris Carrick (Democratic)
Elections: 1990, 1996, 2002
2003-2011: Chris Carrick (Republican)
Elections: 2008
2011-2027: Gina DiMeo (Republican)
Elections: 2012 (special), 2014, 2020

Class 3
1981-2023: Clark Gibson (Republican)
Elections: 1980, 1986, 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010, 2016

"Hi, I'm former Idaho senator Troy McClure. You may remember me from such roles as famous actor Phil Hartman or being Lauren Parker's dad." (Prometheus gave me permission to do another Troy McClure joke for this one).

Carrick famously was the conservative Democrat who briefly tangled with the Bartlet White House over putting funding for a missile base in his state. WH point man Josh Lyman decided to play hardball and so Carrick decided life would be infinitely easier for him as a Republican and switched parties instead of assuring himself of a loss in 2008 if he stayed with the Democrats. Carrick won a term as a Republican, but resigned in early 2011 to become Secretary of the Interior in the Walken administration. DiMeo was appointed as his replacement and won the special election to finish out the remainder of his term, then won two terms of her own.

Gibson is the Senate's second-most senior senator, and would be President pro tempore except Samuel Wilkinson (R-KS) is ahead of him based on the Senate's procedures for breaking ties to determine seniority. He's waged a lonely crusade to alter the rules so that he and Gibson would have their seniority based on the rules at the time they first joined the Senate in 1981 (coincidentally, that would make Gibson, not Wilkinson, the most senior senator & PPT) with only DiMeo joining her colleague. He's retiring rather than seek an eighth(!) term in office.

United States Senators from Mississippi
Class 1
1947-1989: John C. Stennis (Democratic)
Elections: 1947 (special), 1952, 1958, 1964, 1970, 1976, 1982
1989-1995: Cornelius Moss (Republican)
Elections: 1988
1995-2025: Ann Choate (Republican)
Elections: 1994, 2000, 2006, 2012, 2018

Class 2
1978-1991: Wendell McAllister (Republican)
Elections: 1978, 1984
1991-2027: Dylan McNamara (Republican)
Elections: 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008, 2014, 2020

Stennis is the last Democrat to represent Mississippi in the Senate (both IOTL & ITTL), and in a twist that would surprise absolutely no one, was an old school Dixiecrat with a horrible record on racial issues. With Mississippi by now a solidly Republican state on the presidential level, Moss would have been set to try and match Stennis' impressive 42 year stint, but had antagonized both party leadership and President Owen Lassiter so much that by 1994 the GOP bigwigs threw their weight behind Pascagoula mayor Ann Choate who narrowly unseated Moss in the GOP primary, ending his political career. Choate is now the most senior junior senator, a status she's going to maintain in the next Congress as neither she nor McNamara are up for re-election this year.

McAllister is the first Republican to represent Mississippi in the Senate since Reconstruction, and took office early when his predecessor John Eastland (another Dixiecrat who was an almost comically bigoted and paranoid Cold Warrior) retired early to allow him to get a jump on seniority. McAllister retired after two terms to become a lobbyist and McNamara took the reins and is now on his sixth term.

United States Senators from Nebraska
Class 1
1976-1989: Edwin Zorinsky (Democratic)
Elections: 1976, 1982
1989-1995: Benjamin Frazier (Democratic)
Elections: 1988
1995-2011: Sarah Newbury (Republican)
Elections: 1994, 2000, 2006
2011-2025: Bill Daniel (Republican)
Elections: 2012, 2018

Class 2
1985-2027: Emmit George (Republican)
Elections: 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008, 2014, 2020

Zorinsky, in a familiar story by now, took office shortly before the new Congress convened to gain a leg-up on seniority. He was a conservative Democrat who Republicans tried to woo into their party. After suffering a major heart attack in 1987 that nearly killed him, he decided not to run for re-election in 1988. Frazier, a similarly conservative Democrat and Vietnam veteran, won the race to replace him. But the Lassiter landslide in 1994 allowed governor Sarah Newbury to end the streak of conservative Democratic senators in the class 1 seat. Newbury resigned in 2011 to become the Secretary of Health and Human Services when Glen Allen Walken became president, and former governor Bill Daniel was appointed to replace her.

George is currently the fourth-most senior senator. Because the only two Republicans with more seniority (Wilkinson from Kansas & Gibson from Idaho) are retiring this year, George will become President pro tempore if the GOP retains control of the Senate in November.
 
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Friday April 29th, 2022

Candidates clash in London Mayoral debate
The six major party candidates for London Mayor went head to head for the only time on a TV debate broadcast in London and on BBC News last night.

The candidates clashed on several topics including housing, library services, public transport and the nature of local government in the capital. Conservative candidate, Clive Hurst, the current statuary deputy mayor, performed well according o the instant social media polls and those on the BBC London website coverage of the debate. He defended the record of Nigel Jay and Henry Reed and said Dominic Eames (the Labour candidate) was a "risk to all what has been achieved in the past twelve years".

Eames, seemed uncertain at the start of the debate, he is the front runner-with most polls giving him around 40-42% of the first preference votes, but did grow into the debate, and his best moments came against Martin Abbott, the Socialist Alliance candidate who he called a "crackpot communist" with both Hurst and Damien Nicholas agreeing. Nicholas attacked Abbott for his plans to close down the Canary Wharf estate, and the plan to abolish the Metropolitan Police "These are not crackpot plans they are very dangerous" Nicholas added "we can all agree and disagree with certain policies of our opponents, but Martin's plans, and crackpot, dangerous and unworkable which would cause damage to this city".

NPP candidate Andy Field, is a polished performer, and his experience as a former stand-up comic certainly helped, he actually did praise some policies of the Conservatives and Labour, whilst also clashing with Abbott and Green candidate Rosie Owens " They didn't let Baron Hard-up enter this debate, the BBC said he was just a comedy candidate, not serious, well I think his polices make more sense then most of those you have heard from either the Socialist or Green party candidate tonight" which drew laughs from Hurst, Eames, and Nicholas.
 
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Friday April 29th, 2022

London Mayoral Polling

* Polling conducted after last nights debate*
1st Preference Vote
  • Labour Dominic Eames 40% (no change)
  • Conservative Clive Hurst 36% (+2)
  • Liberal Democrat Damien Nicholas 10 % (no change)
  • National Peoples Andy Field 6% (+1)
  • Socialist Alliance Martin Abbott 4 % (-2)
  • Green Rosie Owens 3% (-1)
  • Happy Sunshine, Let's Have a Party, & Fancy Dess Party Alliance Baron Hard-Up 1% (no change)
2nd Preference Vote
  • Labour Dominic Eames 56% (-1)
  • Conservative Clive Hurst 44% (+1)
(Differences based on the changes from the YouGov poll posted on April 9th).
 
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Top Stories This Week

Burke suspends presidential campaign, re-endorses Duke
Saturday, April 30th, 2022

Former governor Wesley Burke (AL) suspended his independent presidential campaign today and has re-endorsed presumptive Republican nominee, former senator Alan Duke (OK). Burke had endorsed Duke in November, but citing his belief that the party establishment would conspire to thwart a Duke nomination, announced a third-party bid in the hopes that such a threat would prevent any "rigging" of the party nomination process. His campaign achieved ballot access in three states (North Carolina, Tennessee and Vermont) prior to today, and will be removed from those states' ballots prior to the general election in November.

"Senator Duke is the man of integrity and moral character that we need in Washington to restore faith in our government," Burke said in a statement announcing his withdrawal from the presidential contest. "I urge everyone who considers themselves a conservative, a Christian or even just an American to support him in his endeavor to restore America."

Madison Pope concert erupts in cheers as pop star says "f*ck Alan Duke"
Sunday, April 24th, 2022

Pop superstar Madison Pope caused an eruption both at her Sunday concert in Oklahoma City and on social media when she ended the concert by saying she loved Oklahoma "but f*ck Alan Duke", with the crowd reacting in a massive cheer of approval. The 32 year-old singer-songwriter has previously been reticent to share her political views, but has often stated her support for LGBT rights and causes. Duke, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has a long history of opposing LGBT rights and has referred to same-sex couples as having a "deviant lifestyle". Public records show that Pope is a registered voter in her home state of North Carolina, but she did not register with a political party.

The former Oklahoma senator weighed in on Monday, saying Pope should "stick to singing" and "learn some manners". Both responses resulted in another firestorm of activity on social media, largely from Pope fans and supporters attacking Duke's comments.

FDA moves to ban menthol in cigarettes, cigars
Thursday, April 28th, 2022

The Food and Drug Administration announced on Thursday that the agency would propose to ban menthol in tobacco products sold in the United States. The proposed rule, which will be published in the Federal Register on May 4th, would add menthol as a prohibited "characterizing flavor in cigarettes" and cigars. It would be open for public comment for 60 days, then become a regulation with possible revisions from public comments. Secretary of Health and Human Services Stan Hale echoed statements from public health officials that such a ban would prevent teenagers from picking up smoking, citing studies showing one-half of teenage smokers regularly use menthol cigarettes. Groups such as the NAAP and the American Medical Association applauded the ban, citing the toll of menthol cigarettes on African-American smokers (85% of whom report smoking menthol cigarettes) compared to white smokers (29% report smoking menthols) thanks to decades of targeted advertising to African-American communities by tobacco companies.

Kansas map struck down as nationwide redistricting court battles continue
Monday, April 25th, 2022

A state judge in Wyandotte County, Kansas has struck down the state's recently-passed congressional map, yet another in a long line of court decisions that have struck down or halted the implementation of new congressional maps in states ahead of this November's congressional and state elections. Judge William Kleinfeldt said that the Republican-drawn map was "partially intended to dilute minority voting strength", an unconstitutional violation of rights under the state and federal constitutions. While an appeal is likely to be filed, the Kansas decision marks yet another instance of approved congressional maps that have either been struck down or remain in legal limbo. In addition to Kansas, several other states' previously-enacted maps have been struck down at some point in the redistricting cycle: Alabama, Maryland, New York, North Carolina and Ohio. While only two states (Missouri and New Hampshire) have not yet had any enacted congressional maps, the new maps in 13 states are currently facing litigation and could be struck down.

Irving campaign focusing on Oregon
Friday, April 29th, 2022

Senator Jasper Irving (R-IL)'s campaign is reportedly focusing almost all of its funding and organizing efforts in Oregon, in the hope of a strong performance against GOP presumptive nominee Alan Duke (R-OK). A report by the Chicago Tribune on Friday revealed that the Irving campaign, which has said it will contest the five remaining Republican primaries despite Duke having already won a majority of delegates and secured the nomination, has begun sending its remaining personnel to campaign offices in Oregon ahead of the state's May 17th primaries. Congressman Cody Zucker (R), one of the few Oregon Republicans who has spoken openly about the contest, said he will vote for Irving in the state's primary, criticizing Duke as having voiced "disturbing and extremist" ideas.

Seaborn campaigns for Lyman in House race
Wednesday, April 27th, 2022

President Sam Seaborn took a break from the presidential contest to stump for former White House chief of staff and Democratic National Committee chair Josh Lyman on Wednesday. Lyman is running in the May 20th special election to replace long-time congressman Earl Brennan, who died in March after four decades in Congress. Seaborn and Lyman are long-time friends and political allies, serving together in both the Bartlet and Santos White Houses, although their relationship soured briefly after Lyman was fired from Seaborn's 2018 presidential campaign before the then-California senator had received a single vote.

"I've known Josh Lyman for many years, and there's no one I'd rather have at my side in Washington than him," the president told a rally for Lyman in Waterbury. Seaborn, who noted that Lyman "pulled me back into the whirlwind of politics" from a promising legal career twice in previous interviews, joked with his long-time friend that "turn about is fair play", seemingly confirming reports that the White House asked Lyman to run in the special election. Lyman will face former state representative Ryan Keenan (R) in the special election.

EOKA insurgents shoot down Turkish jets
Tuesday, April 26th, 2022

EOKA insurgents shot down two Turkish F-16 fighter jets on separate bombing missions on Tuesday, marking the first time Turkish forces have lost such aircraft to enemy action since they invaded Cyprus in September of last year. According to the Turkish Air Force, two jets were lost in combat operations after being struck by surface-to-air missiles after completing bombing runs in the Troodos Mountains. The crew of one F-16 has been reported as killed in action, while the two crew members of the other were able to eject before their jet crashed and have been recovered by Turkish forces. A third fighter-jet was reportedly damaged by a surface-to-air missile on Thursday, but managed to return to base safely. As of Saturday morning, it is reported that Turkish President Ahmed Faria has ordered the temporary suspension of bombing missions in Cyprus while several are transferred back to Turkey to take part in bombing campaigns against Kurdish rebels on the country's southern border.
 
Now that the GOP has a presumptive nominee, there's no point in posting Seaborn's job approval numbers when we're also posting the general election numbers that are much more relevant to the story at hand.

General elections for the presidency & Congress are required to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November by congressional statute, but there is no similar requirement that special elections to Congress be held on certain days of the week.
 
Who's the Green Party nominee and why is he splitting the left vote?
The Green Party nominee will be determined at their party's convention in July. "Green nominee" is just a placeholder in polling questions until a nominee is named.

The two who are running are Susan Buckner, who was the party's 2018 vice presidential nominee & Randy Celeste, a congressman from California who switched to the Greens in 2021.

Both are running because, well, they're to the left of the Democratic mainstream and view the Democrats as essentially the same as the GOP- both controlled by corporations, but the Democrats at least pay lip service to worker's rights, environmentalism & progressive values while the GOP is up front that they don't care for all that.
 
The special election Josh Lyman is running in in CT is on May 20. That is on a Friday. It isn't on a Tuesday?
Special Elections are determined by laws in each state, and many of them give wide latitude to the Governor. For example, former Governor Andrew Cuomo was notorious for prefering to hold Special Elections on Election Day during off years.
 
The Green Party nominee will be determined at their party's convention in July. "Green nominee" is just a placeholder in polling questions until a nominee is named.

The two who are running are Susan Buckner, who was the party's 2018 vice presidential nominee & Randy Celeste, a congressman from California who switched to the Greens in 2021.

Both are running because, well, they're to the left of the Democratic mainstream and view the Democrats as essentially the same as the GOP- both controlled by corporations, but the Democrats at least pay lip service to worker's rights, environmentalism & progressive values while the GOP is up front that they don't care for all that.
A fourway split? Why do I feel like this is gonna turn out similar to the 2016: To Heaven but with a Political Party story?
 
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