Alternate Wikipedia Infoboxes V (Do Not Post Current Politics Here)
- Status
The 1946 elections in a new TL by @Gentleman Biaggi and in which Roosevelt picks Frank Kaiser as his running-mate in 1944 and things go downhill from there.
Whoville Christmas Civil War
The origins of Whoville are shrouded in mystery, with the first known contact made by future american president, rhyming explorer and children's book author Theodor Seuss Geisel in 1957. However, one of the most well documented events of the era was the Christmas civil war that occurred from 2008 to 2011 and the ensuing insurgency. The civil war has it's history in the large mountain called Mount Crumpit that overlooked the town of Whovile. There lived a mysterious creature known as the Grinch. The Grinch's hatred of Christmas was a well known fact due to his isolation from the rest of the known world and limited contact with them on sparse occasions.
Minor clashes throughout the 2000s era under the increasingly bellicose mayorship of Augustus May Who forced the Grinch to make the first strike on Christmas day, with the Kidnapping and impersonation of Santa Claus officially marking the begining of the war. The Mayor would give the war to his crony Whobris, who would managed to bungle the war by losing over fifty soldiers thanks to an avalanche.
After his swift demotion, the mayor would take direct command of the war himself, regulating Whobris to promoting propaganda against the Grinch. The Grinch would not sit idle either, utilizing the terrain to his advantage and even kidnapping a civilian yodeler to blend in during an assassination attempt on the mayor's life. The Grinch, having command of the Crumpit Defense Force, fully utilized the band of semi trained mercenaries that he had hired from all over the known world.
In the begining of 2009, a new approach was needed, and so Operation Ho Ho Ho was engaged on January 4th. The inital outlook seemed promising, with an encirclement on the last stronghold of the grinch's lair. However, communication difficulties, bad storms and a defection of Cindy Lou Who would all combine to ensure the operation's complete disaster. The bad storm caused the helicopter of Whobris to crash, killing him. Recent Grinch Anti aircraft batteries also played havoc with the Whoville air force, destroying the other supporting chopper and allowing the Grinch's rocket powered sleigh to bomb exposed Whoville soldiers, most of whom fled down the hill, chased by encouraged CDF forces over their spectacular victory.
Despite the advice from Cindy Lou Who against a planned counterattack, instead hoping to continue the already working insurgency campaign against the enemy, the Grinch overruled and ignored her concerns and advice, ordering a full scale offensive against the enemy in February of 2009. By the time the sun rose, the CDF forces gathered had the sun in their eye, while the Whoville soldiers could fully see the silhouettes behind the Grinchy military members, easily ending the attempted counter attack and losing many of his irreplaceable soldiers.
The Grinch was put back on the defensive, holding the Grinch's lair with what little soldier he had left, managing to continue the insurgency campaign that would slowly pick off enemy units little by little. The one good part about the continuing insurgency was the retaking of the anti air batteries, which further blunted Whoville attempts to resupply their forces via the air with the looming threat of flak cannons. The end of the war came with the holiday speech by Augustus May Who, who declared victory over the Grinch despite the continuation of the now weakened insurgent forces.
Augustus May Who
One of the more conservative mayors in whoville's history, Augustus May Who would win the mayorship in a landslide victory over the incumbent and scandal plagued Ned McDonald, bringing the Who Conservative party to a decisive spot in power regarding the local area. His policies promoted security and encouraged local businesses with low tax rates.
While not loved by all, he was initially very popular in his first term, winning reelection with a rigged landslide of 30,000% of the vote. Independent election observers that looked at the Whovilleian electoral system were shocked that corrupt suffrage was a policy in the city, granting literal snowflakes and grains of dirt the right to vote, resulting in his lopsided reelection with almost 18 million votes in a town of only 60,000 people. Electoral reform was the furthest thing from his mind most days, it seemed.
However, as the insurgency dragged on up in Mount Crumpus, his personal popularity began to sink, exacerbated by a string of scandals involving the police chief and bribes he was paid out. He would also crack down hard on protests to his rule as mayor, often sending in the militia to put down revolts harshly with tanks against sign wielding demonstrators. In order to appease protests in 2009, he would reform the government by a referendum about the establishment of a legislative branch in the town of Whoville, with citizenship being restricted to only citizens and illegal UFOs that visited. The referendum passed by 98.3% in spite of Augustus going to the polls dressed as different people 959 other times to boost up numbers for an against movement.
The bloodiest of these occurred in 2012, a day before the elections. The deaths of over 400 whos weighed heavily on the minds of voters, and despite his attempts to rig the election, a surprise upset occurred with the election of the Grinch. Reforms were quickly installed, and Augustus both held the mayor ship and congressional membership, often attempting to sway legislation to his side, which worked until the mayor ship of the Grinch. Now retired from politics after not running in 2016 for reelection to Congress, he currently manages a conservative leaning political paper in Whoville called Yule Tide Doubt.
The Grinch
The Grinch would probably be the last person you'd expect to become mayor, and you'd be right until 2012. His shocking election victory, assisted with the Christmas Eve massacre turning popular support for the incumbent Augustus into a motivated base of voters for the man in green. Before his shocking rise to political power, he held minor offices, including a brief stiff as the Postmaster General which was slightly less scandal plagued than an entire month with Augustus. After being caught tampering with mail, he was had a handful of normal responsibilities taken away from him and handed to the previous office holder of the job.
Before his rise to power as the mayor, the Grinch led the insurgency throughout the civil war and beyond until he officially resigned as Commander of the Crumpit Defense Force, dissolving it as proof of his changed outlook on life. He would serve as the only representative for Mount Crumpit within the halls of Congress, passing legislation which would have the current waste disposal cabinet official impeached. This was due to the amount of unsafe trash that was being dumped at the top of Mount Crumpit, his home.
Besides that reform, he would assist in passing the A Person's a Person Act of 2011, which granted sweeping citizenship to almost anyone, which was signed into law reluctantly by Augustus that same day of passing. Alterations to the mail service were also announced, which boosted his popularity around Christmas time, with the amount of destroyed packages, boxes and bags falling by over 95% within the first Christmas of his time in office. He has remained a popular mayor, recently undergoing a 2013 surgery to have his heart sized increased by two sizes. His relationship with the former mayor has remained fairly tight and calm, with no hard feelings towards the two former childhood rivals, often going skiing on his days off as mayor with Augustus down Mount Crumpit.
Happy holidays everyone! This Wikipedia box doesn't actually have anything to do with Christmas (I wanted to get it posted yesterday, however, it took longer than I had anticipated to produce it), and is an election in the Confederation of Columbia, a remnant of the British Empire in my timeline Dreams of Liberty: A Failure At Princeton, where the United States is defeated in the American Revolutionary War.
I've been reading on the 1975 Common Market Referendum (fascinating stuff BTW, if anyone could tell me the name of any good books about that campaign I'd much appreciate it) which led me to make the following infobox:
(On the subject of good books, does anyone know any good books on Edmund Burke?)
Hugo Farrimond is a retired gridiron quarterback, playing in the Terelles Gridiron League from 1997 to 2014 and is widely considered to be one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the TGL. In the 1997 entry draft, he was drafted 15th overall by the Pomaria Jays to replace the retiring Luke Solly, who led the Jays to the 1990 TGL title. In Farrimond's first season, he threw for 22 TD's, 5 INT's, and led the Jay's to an 10-6 record and making it to the playoffs, but losing in the first round to the Shiloh Devils. In 1998 he led the underdog Jays to a 12-3-1 record and making it to the title game, where the Jays lost to the Waconia Phantoms 35-13 for Waconia's first TGL title. The Jets struggled in 1999, going 6-9-1 and missing the playoffs but with Farrimond having a great season, throwing for 25 TD's. In 2000, the Jets went 11-5 and made the playoffs before losing in the second round to the Medford Tridents. After poor play in 2001 and being benched for another quarterback, he was traded to the Halifax Wolves in May 2002. In 2002 the Wolves went 9-7 but made it to the semi-final game, but lost to the eventual champion Waconia Phantoms. 2003 was Farrimond's resurgence, throwing for 28 TD's, 4 INT's, winning league MVP, and leading the Wolves (who went 12-4) to their 4th title, defeating the defending champion Phantoms 41-37. In 2004 Farrimond and the Wolves successfully defended their title, going 13-3, Farrimond throwing 37 TD's, and the Wolves defeating the Lake Cayman Nighthawks 28-0 in the championship game. 2005 was Farrimond's career year, throwing for a league record 52 TD's, securing league MVP for a second time, and becoming the TGL's first undefeated team and won against the Milton Navigators 52-14 in the championship game. In 2006, the Wolves regressed, going 12-4 but still reaching the championship game, but losing to the Milton Navigators 29-24. In 2007, the Wolves finished 10-5-1 and managed to make it to the semi-finals, losing to the Wakefield Celts 30-21. In 2008, Farrimond captured his third MVP award as the Wolves made the title game (going 14-2), losing to the Wakefield Celts 31-21 in the championship game. In 2009 the Wolves, with another strong showing by Farrimond (also getting his 4th MVP award), went 13-3 and won the championship, defeating the St. Morris Deacons 25-13 in the championship game. In the first game of the 2010 season, Farrimond was injured and missed the rest of the season, with the Wolves going 7-9 and missing the playoffs. In 2011, fresh off from injury, Farrimond threw for 39 TD's as the Wolves went 11-5 in the regular season and won the championship again, defeating the 15-1 Saint-Anne Bobcats 38-30. After subpar 2012 and 2013 seasons where the Wolves failed to make the playoffs, Farrimond signed with the Spencer Admirals. In his only season with the team, the Admirals went 13-5 (the season was expanded to 18 games after two teams joined in 2012), before losing in the semi-final game to eventual champion the Post Falls Desperados, 34-19. After the game, Farrimond retired from the TGA. In 2018, his number 4 was retired by the Halifax Wolves and he is a sure lock for the National Gridiron Hall of Fame whenever he becomes eligible for induction.
1995 United Kingdom general election
The 1995 United Kingdom general election occurred on the 14 December due to the Prime Minister at the time, Neil Kinnock, called for an early dissolution. His reasoning for such an early election was due to the Labour Party having a significant lead over the Conservatives for a long duration within opinion polling; he believed that he could strengthen his hand and finally show the country that he was the Prime Minister. When the dissolution was announced, the Conservative party was in a mass panic, the leader was quickly appointed as a caretaker and was going to be replaced in spring 1996, the party was fractured on Europe (even more so than in Major's leadership) and the party was in financial difficulties due to certain Liberal-Conservative donors being put off over the more right wing Merchant. The Liberal Democrats were cautious but somewhat excited over the chances in the election; opinion polls showed the public rather unhappy with a snap election but were also tired of the Conservative Party and wanted a change from the usual two parties but with the unexpected win of a Non-MP member as Leader, Vince Cable, made the party wonder weather people will trust him.
Throughout the campaign Labour's lead, sometimes reaching 12%, was thinning: this was mainly due to a combination of an uncharismatic and cold leader with a rather unexpected, unoriginal and bland manifesto which people did not really care for. The Conservative party was able to increase their standards in polling, however it was not quick enough and many in Conservative HQ believed that the polls were wrong, but in a way that was a negative for them. The Liberal Democrats campaigned in a positive manner with a leader that many people thought was compassionate but pragmatic, likeable but ready for leadership, but the polls still showed that people were still finding it difficult to support a new party.
When The Exit Poll came in many people were shocked, The Labour Party was predicted to win 384 Seats, The Conservative Party was predicted to win 195 and the Liberal Democrats were going to win only 46 seats (a small gain of just 14). However, once the results started to come in the Labour Party was left in a somber mood with Kinnock Calling many MP's in marginals trying to calm them or providing condolences for their loss, the Conservatives knew this was not going to be a great night but never expected seats like Enfield Southgate, the predicted leader's seat, being won by the Liberal Democrats: even their temporary leader resigned before Labour had reached the 326 seat mark. Vince Cable as the Liberal Democrat leader had paid off, but many scholars wondered will this lead to an actual result the Liberal Democrats dreamed for... Majority government?
by the 16 December the results had been tallied and the Labour had reached 350 seats, a small improvement of 5, so it came as a shock when on the day Kinnock announced his resignation as leader and Prime Minister. The party was shocked and many supporters felt that this was an end of a rather murky era of social democracy in the UK. During recess the Labour Party elected Robin Cook in an uncontested leadership election, Cook was then appointed Prime Minister on the 1 January 1996 by the queen to lead a government that was confused and rather concerned with the Future of the United Kingdom and the Labour Party.
This is a follow up from this post.
The 1995 United Kingdom general election occurred on the 14 December due to the Prime Minister at the time, Neil Kinnock, called for an early dissolution. His reasoning for such an early election was due to the Labour Party having a significant lead over the Conservatives for a long duration within opinion polling; he believed that he could strengthen his hand and finally show the country that he was the Prime Minister. When the dissolution was announced, the Conservative party was in a mass panic, the leader was quickly appointed as a caretaker and was going to be replaced in spring 1996, the party was fractured on Europe (even more so than in Major's leadership) and the party was in financial difficulties due to certain Liberal-Conservative donors being put off over the more right wing Merchant. The Liberal Democrats were cautious but somewhat excited over the chances in the election; opinion polls showed the public rather unhappy with a snap election but were also tired of the Conservative Party and wanted a change from the usual two parties but with the unexpected win of a Non-MP member as Leader, Vince Cable, made the party wonder weather people will trust him.
Throughout the campaign Labour's lead, sometimes reaching 12%, was thinning: this was mainly due to a combination of an uncharismatic and cold leader with a rather unexpected, unoriginal and bland manifesto which people did not really care for. The Conservative party was able to increase their standards in polling, however it was not quick enough and many in Conservative HQ believed that the polls were wrong, but in a way that was a negative for them. The Liberal Democrats campaigned in a positive manner with a leader that many people thought was compassionate but pragmatic, likeable but ready for leadership, but the polls still showed that people were still finding it difficult to support a new party.
When The Exit Poll came in many people were shocked, The Labour Party was predicted to win 384 Seats, The Conservative Party was predicted to win 195 and the Liberal Democrats were going to win only 46 seats (a small gain of just 14). However, once the results started to come in the Labour Party was left in a somber mood with Kinnock Calling many MP's in marginals trying to calm them or providing condolences for their loss, the Conservatives knew this was not going to be a great night but never expected seats like Enfield Southgate, the predicted leader's seat, being won by the Liberal Democrats: even their temporary leader resigned before Labour had reached the 326 seat mark. Vince Cable as the Liberal Democrat leader had paid off, but many scholars wondered will this lead to an actual result the Liberal Democrats dreamed for... Majority government?
by the 16 December the results had been tallied and the Labour had reached 350 seats, a small improvement of 5, so it came as a shock when on the day Kinnock announced his resignation as leader and Prime Minister. The party was shocked and many supporters felt that this was an end of a rather murky era of social democracy in the UK. During recess the Labour Party elected Robin Cook in an uncontested leadership election, Cook was then appointed Prime Minister on the 1 January 1996 by the queen to lead a government that was confused and rather concerned with the Future of the United Kingdom and the Labour Party.
Rebuild of a Jovian Night's Dream
Anna Eleanor Mercer is the 65th and current President of the United States. She first won election in 2132 and was reelected in 2136, becoming the first President not from Earth. She was born and raised in Madrid, Magellan, on Venus, the largest city and metropolitan area in the United States. Her political career began at age 30 when she was elected to the Lamont County Board of Supervisors shortly after her marriage to Cordellia Lowell, the daughter of Lamont County Democratic Party boss Rudy Lowell. She was then elected to the county Board of Alderman and finally served two terms as as the county executive. She gained national notoriety in 2130 when she ran for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Senator Jameis Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was a reform-minded progressive backed by the likes of Jordynne Blythe, while Mercer was backed by the political machines of Madrid. When Mercer won the Democratic nomination, Kirkpatrick run as an independent. The two of them split the vote, allowing Republican Jerome Marsden to win election by only a few hundred votes.
Even though Mercer was term-limited from serving a third-term as County Executive, her political career wasn't done. The 2132 Democratic nomination for President was wide open despite there being an incumbent. President Hannah Ariyoshi had stepped down in early 2131 following a series of strokes left her paralyzed. She was succeeded by her Vice President, Donna Harlan-White, who'd been dragged out of retirement to serve as an elder statesman of the party. Harlan-White had no interest in holding onto the White House, so the nomination was up for grabs. With no one single candidate coming a head during the primaries, the Democrats went into the convention on Venus without an obvious candidate. A coalition of Big Labor and urban machines, led by White House insider and former UAW President Benjamin G. Thurman, United Mine Workers President Gus Krasinski, Lamont County boss Rudy Lowell, Chicago party boss Mickey Maldonado and Alabama party boss Marissa Bondurant, sought to put forward a united candidate. They decided on Anna Eleanor Mercer, who had won some delegates as a write-in candidate. With the back of major elements of the Democratic Party, her nominate became fait accompli and she was quickly nominated on the floor, with Thurman as her running mate.
Mercer has largely been viewed as a figurehead for the real powers behind the throne, Vice President Benjamin G. Thurman, Chief of Staff Sergio Brown and Senior Advisor Anastasia Landrieu. Her cabinet was stocked with political insiders, defense industry executives, machine cogs and Big Labor leaders. Thurman holds a domineering hand over foreign policy as the administration has sought a detente with the Soviet Union that would isolate Brazil and West Africa from their main ally. Sergio Brown manages the flow of the White House and serves as a conduit for the big city machines and the government. Anastasia Landrieu is the architect of the New Day Program, the administration's domestic reform proposals, which has included the expansion of infrastructure programs, new regulatory schemes, increased funding for sovereign wealth funds and welfare reform.
Anna Eleanor Mercer is the 65th and current President of the United States. She first won election in 2132 and was reelected in 2136, becoming the first President not from Earth. She was born and raised in Madrid, Magellan, on Venus, the largest city and metropolitan area in the United States. Her political career began at age 30 when she was elected to the Lamont County Board of Supervisors shortly after her marriage to Cordellia Lowell, the daughter of Lamont County Democratic Party boss Rudy Lowell. She was then elected to the county Board of Alderman and finally served two terms as as the county executive. She gained national notoriety in 2130 when she ran for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Senator Jameis Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was a reform-minded progressive backed by the likes of Jordynne Blythe, while Mercer was backed by the political machines of Madrid. When Mercer won the Democratic nomination, Kirkpatrick run as an independent. The two of them split the vote, allowing Republican Jerome Marsden to win election by only a few hundred votes.
Even though Mercer was term-limited from serving a third-term as County Executive, her political career wasn't done. The 2132 Democratic nomination for President was wide open despite there being an incumbent. President Hannah Ariyoshi had stepped down in early 2131 following a series of strokes left her paralyzed. She was succeeded by her Vice President, Donna Harlan-White, who'd been dragged out of retirement to serve as an elder statesman of the party. Harlan-White had no interest in holding onto the White House, so the nomination was up for grabs. With no one single candidate coming a head during the primaries, the Democrats went into the convention on Venus without an obvious candidate. A coalition of Big Labor and urban machines, led by White House insider and former UAW President Benjamin G. Thurman, United Mine Workers President Gus Krasinski, Lamont County boss Rudy Lowell, Chicago party boss Mickey Maldonado and Alabama party boss Marissa Bondurant, sought to put forward a united candidate. They decided on Anna Eleanor Mercer, who had won some delegates as a write-in candidate. With the back of major elements of the Democratic Party, her nominate became fait accompli and she was quickly nominated on the floor, with Thurman as her running mate.
Mercer has largely been viewed as a figurehead for the real powers behind the throne, Vice President Benjamin G. Thurman, Chief of Staff Sergio Brown and Senior Advisor Anastasia Landrieu. Her cabinet was stocked with political insiders, defense industry executives, machine cogs and Big Labor leaders. Thurman holds a domineering hand over foreign policy as the administration has sought a detente with the Soviet Union that would isolate Brazil and West Africa from their main ally. Sergio Brown manages the flow of the White House and serves as a conduit for the big city machines and the government. Anastasia Landrieu is the architect of the New Day Program, the administration's domestic reform proposals, which has included the expansion of infrastructure programs, new regulatory schemes, increased funding for sovereign wealth funds and welfare reform.
California Uber Alles
This wikibox series imagines the fate of California in the Rumsfeldia universe. After Pete McCloskey is forced to step down due to ill health, Vice President Dellums runs unopposed in the 1990 Presidential election. Despite the defeat of the Christian States of America, the states bordering California remain violent and unstable. The ideologically diffuse Bozeman Communes proved to be a breeding ground for extremist groups. The Californian Army had suffered numerous attacks from Aryan Nations insurgents in eastern Oregon. Inspired by the revolt by KKK forces in the Deep South against American occupation, the Aryan Nations sought to violently destroy the Californian government, which it objected to on the basis of being headed by a black President. Aryan Nations was headquartered at Ruby Ridge, Idaho. While Idaho was technically still part of the United States, under the Libertarian administration of Ed Crane it had achieved de facto independence. By 1993, however, the governor of Idaho was Helen Chenoweth, a more traditional conservative who was hostile to Dellums' left wing government. Despite the requests of the Californian government, Chenoweth refused to apprehend members of Aryan Nations or other white supremacist insurgents. Chenoweth cited Idaho's freedom of association and commitment to the Second Amendment as a rationale. However, Chenoweth was suspected by the Californian government to have white supremacist sympathies, and intelligence suggested that the Idaho government was directly arming the insurgents. President Dellums ordered Californian troops to attack the Aryan Nations compound at Ruby Ridge, kicking off the Ruby Ridge War. After Governor Chenoweth ordered the Idaho National Guard to drive out the invaders, the Californian Armed Forces marched into Boise and arrested Governor Chenoweth on the grounds of providing support to Aryan Nations. The Idaho state legislature was compelled by California to impeach Chenoweth, and California established an occupational authority in order to root out remaining white nationalist insurgents. The Californian occupation forces interfered little with daily governance in Idaho; and California handed Idaho over to the United States government following the pacification of any remaining terrorists.
Dellums coasted to victory over respected actor Charlton Heston in the 1994 presidential election. Dellums enjoyed the support of both We The People and the Democratic Party. Conservatives and opponents of Dellums rallied behind the Libertarians. Heston ran as a moderate with cross-ideological appeal, but the majority of Californians voted to continue the administration that had successfully led California through the Second American Civil War.
Ron Dellums choose to retire after two terms, having guided California to independence and established a social-democratic welfare state for California. After Dellums' retirement, the wartime coalition between the Democrats and We The People collapsed. Vice President Jerry Brown, who had established close personal control over the California Democratic Party, was the clear favorite. He attracted support from both liberals and moderates. We The People nominee and former San Francisco Mayor George Moscone ran on a hard-left platform, promising to establish full socialism and grant labor unions control over natural resources. Despite being the more right-wing candidate, Brown was tacitly supported by the Soviet Union, which wanted to prevent the reunification of California with the United States while maintaining a reliable partner on the West Coast. The Libertarian Party saw its' vote share collapse in 1998. This was in part due to the radicalism of Senator Dana Rohrabacher. However, numerous Libertarian officials had been arrested in 1995 for their material support for white supremacist insurgents. Other Libertarians who had spoken against the Ruby Ridge war were suspected of white nationalist sympathies, and thus the whole Libertarian Party was tainted with the whiff of treason.
The election of President Brown brought an end to preliminary talks with the United States on the subject of reunification. After U.S President Agnew was defeated by Bernie Sanders of We The People in the 1996 presidential election, the Dellums administration proved amenable to working with a more ideological sympathetic American government. Dellums spoke with Sanders on the subject of California's readmission to the Union, but did not make any firm commitments. While Brown continued cooperation with the United States, he ruled out California's return to the Union. By 1999, California had been independent for twelve years, and Californian nationalism had become more popular than residual attachments to the U.S.A. Brown's lukewarm relations with President Sanders forestalled the possibility of unification, and Brown did not wish to cede his power as leader of a sovereign nation. As the United States continued to suffer from a bloody KKK insurgency, Brown deemed the U.S a failed state, and pointed to California's economic success as an independent country even as America struggled. Brown even imposed strong border controls in order to keep suspected terrorists from entering California. President Sanders, preoccupied with national insecurity and implementing ambitious domestic policies, largely respected the Californian desire for independence. President Sanders finally ordered the U.S government to formally recognize Californian independence in 2001.
Brown suffered from some incumbency fatigue in the 2002 presidential election, but benefited from a divided opposition. We The People continued to push for socialism and 60s style radicalism under Senator Hayden, while the Libertarians ran on a pro-drug and anti-regulation platform. Clint Eastwood's personal popularity boosted the performance of the Libertarians. As the "moderate" candidate, President Brown enjoyed broad ideological support, and attacked his opponents as inexperienced radicals.
By 2006, Jerry Brown had established strong personal control over the government of California, and decided to run for a third term. Brown chose to replace the aging Vice President Berman with Senate Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. Having been part of California's executive branch for sixteen years, Jerry Brown had become California's most enduring national institution. However, many critics accused the Brown administration of gradually transforming California into an authoritarian state. We The People nominee Eric Boucher, a former punk rocker, ran a colorful and radical campaign against Brown. Boucher launched vitriolic and personal attacks against President Brown, comparing him to Hitler and Donald Rumsfeld. Boucher warned that the 2006 presidential election would be the last free election in California if Brown was re-elected. Brown remained the clear favorite even as Boucher's criticisms of his administration escalated. The Libertarian Party, damaged by internal disputes and general irrelevance, failed to nominate a presidential ticket. The Union Party replaced the Libertarians as the third party in the 2006 presidential election. The Union Party was a single issue party, dedicated to the reunification of California with the United States. Leon Panetta spearheaded the campaign, and he persuaded former First Lady Nancy Reagan to run as the Union Party's presidential nominee in order to boost its' popularity. Reagan was largely a symbolic figurehead, and Panetta continued to run the reunification campaign. Traditional American Patriotism was seen as dated, and the Union Party received the votes of only a conservative minority. Brown easily won re-election.
As We The People came to be increasingly radicalized, the Democratic Party increased control over California. By the late 2000s, California had become a one party state, and the Democratic Party's main purpose was to continue the rule of Jerry Brown. Brown began to take on increasingly dictatorial tendencies, ordering the suppression of his political opponents and tightening ballot access. Brown had so solidified control over California that by 2010 he ran for re-election unopposed.
By the 22nd Century, California has become a totalitarian theocracy under the control of Jerry Brown's descendants. The long deceased President Brown is now worshiped as a God by the inhabitants of California, which remains a beacon of stability on a planet ravaged by war and environmental catastrophe. The Californian government maintains that Brown is still alive, and that he has ascended to a higher plane of existence. Brown is still the Eternal President of California, continuing to win presidential elections with nearly one hundred percent of the vote. Jerry Brown's great-great-great grandson, Jerry Brown VI, is California's Vice President and acting president. Brown VI is the de facto dictator of California, but government scientists are currently working to revive Brown I's frozen corpse...
This wikibox series imagines the fate of California in the Rumsfeldia universe. After Pete McCloskey is forced to step down due to ill health, Vice President Dellums runs unopposed in the 1990 Presidential election. Despite the defeat of the Christian States of America, the states bordering California remain violent and unstable. The ideologically diffuse Bozeman Communes proved to be a breeding ground for extremist groups. The Californian Army had suffered numerous attacks from Aryan Nations insurgents in eastern Oregon. Inspired by the revolt by KKK forces in the Deep South against American occupation, the Aryan Nations sought to violently destroy the Californian government, which it objected to on the basis of being headed by a black President. Aryan Nations was headquartered at Ruby Ridge, Idaho. While Idaho was technically still part of the United States, under the Libertarian administration of Ed Crane it had achieved de facto independence. By 1993, however, the governor of Idaho was Helen Chenoweth, a more traditional conservative who was hostile to Dellums' left wing government. Despite the requests of the Californian government, Chenoweth refused to apprehend members of Aryan Nations or other white supremacist insurgents. Chenoweth cited Idaho's freedom of association and commitment to the Second Amendment as a rationale. However, Chenoweth was suspected by the Californian government to have white supremacist sympathies, and intelligence suggested that the Idaho government was directly arming the insurgents. President Dellums ordered Californian troops to attack the Aryan Nations compound at Ruby Ridge, kicking off the Ruby Ridge War. After Governor Chenoweth ordered the Idaho National Guard to drive out the invaders, the Californian Armed Forces marched into Boise and arrested Governor Chenoweth on the grounds of providing support to Aryan Nations. The Idaho state legislature was compelled by California to impeach Chenoweth, and California established an occupational authority in order to root out remaining white nationalist insurgents. The Californian occupation forces interfered little with daily governance in Idaho; and California handed Idaho over to the United States government following the pacification of any remaining terrorists.
Dellums coasted to victory over respected actor Charlton Heston in the 1994 presidential election. Dellums enjoyed the support of both We The People and the Democratic Party. Conservatives and opponents of Dellums rallied behind the Libertarians. Heston ran as a moderate with cross-ideological appeal, but the majority of Californians voted to continue the administration that had successfully led California through the Second American Civil War.
Ron Dellums choose to retire after two terms, having guided California to independence and established a social-democratic welfare state for California. After Dellums' retirement, the wartime coalition between the Democrats and We The People collapsed. Vice President Jerry Brown, who had established close personal control over the California Democratic Party, was the clear favorite. He attracted support from both liberals and moderates. We The People nominee and former San Francisco Mayor George Moscone ran on a hard-left platform, promising to establish full socialism and grant labor unions control over natural resources. Despite being the more right-wing candidate, Brown was tacitly supported by the Soviet Union, which wanted to prevent the reunification of California with the United States while maintaining a reliable partner on the West Coast. The Libertarian Party saw its' vote share collapse in 1998. This was in part due to the radicalism of Senator Dana Rohrabacher. However, numerous Libertarian officials had been arrested in 1995 for their material support for white supremacist insurgents. Other Libertarians who had spoken against the Ruby Ridge war were suspected of white nationalist sympathies, and thus the whole Libertarian Party was tainted with the whiff of treason.
The election of President Brown brought an end to preliminary talks with the United States on the subject of reunification. After U.S President Agnew was defeated by Bernie Sanders of We The People in the 1996 presidential election, the Dellums administration proved amenable to working with a more ideological sympathetic American government. Dellums spoke with Sanders on the subject of California's readmission to the Union, but did not make any firm commitments. While Brown continued cooperation with the United States, he ruled out California's return to the Union. By 1999, California had been independent for twelve years, and Californian nationalism had become more popular than residual attachments to the U.S.A. Brown's lukewarm relations with President Sanders forestalled the possibility of unification, and Brown did not wish to cede his power as leader of a sovereign nation. As the United States continued to suffer from a bloody KKK insurgency, Brown deemed the U.S a failed state, and pointed to California's economic success as an independent country even as America struggled. Brown even imposed strong border controls in order to keep suspected terrorists from entering California. President Sanders, preoccupied with national insecurity and implementing ambitious domestic policies, largely respected the Californian desire for independence. President Sanders finally ordered the U.S government to formally recognize Californian independence in 2001.
Brown suffered from some incumbency fatigue in the 2002 presidential election, but benefited from a divided opposition. We The People continued to push for socialism and 60s style radicalism under Senator Hayden, while the Libertarians ran on a pro-drug and anti-regulation platform. Clint Eastwood's personal popularity boosted the performance of the Libertarians. As the "moderate" candidate, President Brown enjoyed broad ideological support, and attacked his opponents as inexperienced radicals.
By 2006, Jerry Brown had established strong personal control over the government of California, and decided to run for a third term. Brown chose to replace the aging Vice President Berman with Senate Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. Having been part of California's executive branch for sixteen years, Jerry Brown had become California's most enduring national institution. However, many critics accused the Brown administration of gradually transforming California into an authoritarian state. We The People nominee Eric Boucher, a former punk rocker, ran a colorful and radical campaign against Brown. Boucher launched vitriolic and personal attacks against President Brown, comparing him to Hitler and Donald Rumsfeld. Boucher warned that the 2006 presidential election would be the last free election in California if Brown was re-elected. Brown remained the clear favorite even as Boucher's criticisms of his administration escalated. The Libertarian Party, damaged by internal disputes and general irrelevance, failed to nominate a presidential ticket. The Union Party replaced the Libertarians as the third party in the 2006 presidential election. The Union Party was a single issue party, dedicated to the reunification of California with the United States. Leon Panetta spearheaded the campaign, and he persuaded former First Lady Nancy Reagan to run as the Union Party's presidential nominee in order to boost its' popularity. Reagan was largely a symbolic figurehead, and Panetta continued to run the reunification campaign. Traditional American Patriotism was seen as dated, and the Union Party received the votes of only a conservative minority. Brown easily won re-election.
As We The People came to be increasingly radicalized, the Democratic Party increased control over California. By the late 2000s, California had become a one party state, and the Democratic Party's main purpose was to continue the rule of Jerry Brown. Brown began to take on increasingly dictatorial tendencies, ordering the suppression of his political opponents and tightening ballot access. Brown had so solidified control over California that by 2010 he ran for re-election unopposed.
By the 22nd Century, California has become a totalitarian theocracy under the control of Jerry Brown's descendants. The long deceased President Brown is now worshiped as a God by the inhabitants of California, which remains a beacon of stability on a planet ravaged by war and environmental catastrophe. The Californian government maintains that Brown is still alive, and that he has ascended to a higher plane of existence. Brown is still the Eternal President of California, continuing to win presidential elections with nearly one hundred percent of the vote. Jerry Brown's great-great-great grandson, Jerry Brown VI, is California's Vice President and acting president. Brown VI is the de facto dictator of California, but government scientists are currently working to revive Brown I's frozen corpse...
Attachments
The G7 Summit in House of Cards. Might expand this into a little infobox series
Played by:
Bruce Greenwood
Sophie Marceau
Gabriele Schafer
Stefano Accorsi
Ron Nakahara
Colin Firth
Reed Birney
Ariane Schluter
Andrej Hrnčiar
Bruce Greenwood
Sophie Marceau
Gabriele Schafer
Stefano Accorsi
Ron Nakahara
Colin Firth
Reed Birney
Ariane Schluter
Andrej Hrnčiar
2006 is far back enough, right?
THE WINS AND THE NEAR-MISSES; THE MAKING OF THE REPUBLICAN WAVE (PART II: THE SENATE)
California - California is obviously not a high priority for Republicans anymore, with President Gore clearing 60% of the vote there in 2004. However, with Senator Dianne Feinstein getting up there in age and with San Fransisco Matt Gonzales rumoured to be making a third party bid, some GOP insiders considered the seat a potential pickup if everything went the right way. Gonzales declined a bid and instead the Green Party put forward a less than known candidate. In addition, it appeared that despite the closeness of the Gubernatorial fight to succeed Gray Davis, Republican candidate Bill Mundell failed to rally voters against the generally popular Feinstein, who won with just under 54% to win a third term in office.
Connecticut - Vice President Lieberman's home state was home to what was (almost!) the closest race of the year with Congressman Chris Shays challenging incumbent Senator Richard Blumenthal, who beat out interim Senator Jodi Rell in a contentious 2002 race that featured Vice President Lieberman as a prominent player. Blumenthal had caught flak for questions about his supposed record in Vietnam. It turns out that Blumenthal had greatly exaggerated his war record, something that received much criticism from other prominent veterans, such as Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and even President Gore himself. Shays' campaign, which at that point seemed a little stale, was reinvigorated as he went on the attack. The Democrats were (quite successfully, it appears) trying to link Shays to the House GOP leadership, which was quite unpopular in Connecticut. Ultimately though Blumenthal carried the day with a 5,000 vote margin, produced after a recount at the Shays campaign's request. Shays was hurt further when his own congressional seat flipped to the Democrats.
Delaware (special) - This was an election that never came to be. The certainty of Congressman Mike Castle's candidacy ultimately nixed Senator Joe Biden's Secretary of State role.
Florida - In spite of Senator George Allen's serious issues on the ticket, Republicans came startlingly close to winning Florida in 2004. Following on from this, the national party made gains in Florida a key target, with the Senate seat considered especially. After popular governor and rumoured Presidential contender Jeb Bush bowed out of the race to go up against Bill Nelson, Republicans opted to hand the nomination to a rising star by the name of Mark Foley. Big mistake. Though the Foley campaign initially appeared to be polling very well, leading Senator Nelson in some polls, the revelations late in the game that he had engaged in sexually suggestive messaging with underage Congressional pages secured Nelson's re-election. Attempts to remove Foley from the ballot were unsuccessful, though a write in campaign for Secretary of State Katherine Harris picked up 5%. The Foley scandal is considered to have also had an impact in other Senate races where Democrats held on narrowly, as the linking of the Republican party to a pedophile proved to be unsurprisingly damaging.
Maryland - This was a pretty pathetic loss for Democrats, who suffered from a divisive primary that featured not only Montgomery Council President Tom Perez, but also Congressmen Kweisi Mifume & Ben Cardin, State Senate Majority Whip Anthony Brown, and former County Executive Dennis Rasmussen. The ultimate victor was little known historian Allan Lichtman, famous for his Keys To The White House model of political predictions, who proved to be totally hapless on the campaign trail, especially against Maryland GOP Chairman Michael Steele, who proved to be an energetic campaigner, and pulled out a decent victory, becoming Maryland's first black senator.
Michigan - This was another comfortable state for Gore in 2004, and many commentators considered Senator Stabenow a near lock for re-election. That all changed with the entry of Domino's CEO and University of Michigan regent Dave Brandon. Considered a star candidate, the field was cleared for him by the state GOP. His self-funding talent resulted in much trouble for Stabenow, who was forced to tap into state party coffers to get her over the finish line. Brandon's entrepreneur message won over Michigan Republicans, who turned out in droves to give him a close victory.
Minnesota - A serious missed opportunity for Republicans who had what could've been a dream ticket this year with Governor Norm Coleman running for re-election and State Representative Tim Pawlenty making his second bid for the Senate after narrowly losing to Paul Wellstone in 2002. Minnesota is the home of Supreme Court Justice Amy Klobuchar, and was instrumental in securing Gore's re-election. Senator Mark Dayton took the decision to retire, citing his dissatisfaction with D.C. and gridlock. Democrats nominated Congresswoman Patty Wetterling, who narrowly triumphed against Trial Lawyer Mike Ciresi in the primary. Republicans nominated Pawlenty quite easily after former Senator Rod Grams dropped out. The general was closely fought with big names called in on both sides, including former contenders George Allen and George W. Bush. The race came down to a recount, as with Connecticut, with Congresswoman Wetterling pulling through after absentee ballots from St. Paul were taken into account. Republicans were quick to blame the independent candidacy of Thomas Harens, who took more votes than the margin between the two main candidates.
Missouri - Senator Mel Carnahan certainly considered himself in danger as far back as 2004, when his state gave George Allen a clear majority of the vote. Numerous Republicans were lining up to challenge him, including former Congressman Jim Talent, State Senator Peter Kinder, and Secretary of State Matt Blunt. Blunt would square off against Kinder in the primary, eventually winning out. Carnahan "fought like hell," to quote a Gore adviser, to avoid losing an inevitable defeat. It was a valiant effort but Blunt's great fundraising and appeal to Republican voters helped him win by a comfortable margin.
Nebraska - This race was blown wide open by the entrance of Governor Mike Johanns, who was hugely popular and would prove to be a vicious foe for Senator Ben Nelson, who had to pivot to the right to keep some of his Republican donors, attacking President Gore's cap-and-trade plan and voting against Attorney General nominee Eric Holder. The revelation that money was being sent to the estates of dead farmers in late 2006 helped dent Democratic numbers
New Jersey - Whoever thought Jon Corzine would appeal to anyone should be locked up. One of the most unpopular senators in the country, and only just about surviving a primary challenge from State Senator Nia Gill, he went up against a well-funded and well-liked Republican candidate in Tom Kean Jr., son of the eponymous governor who still holds some sway in the state. Dissatisfaction with Governor Jim McGreevy likely played a part in Corzine's eventual blowout defeat.
New Mexico - President Gore is still surely smarting over his decision to appoint Jeff Bingaman as his Energy Secretary in 2005. Bingaman had to give up his Senate seat to do so, and under New Mexico election law, a replacement is appointed and would face election at the next general election. Governor Richardson appointed State Representative to the seat. While initially seen as a strong choice, King suffered immensely from accusations of nepotism. Republicans seized the moment and recruited popular Congresswoman Heather Wilson, whose more moderate tone seemed to work well in a state that was moving to the left. King would, in a stunner, lose the primary to Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish, who was encouraged to run by a regretful Richardson. Poor messaging by the DNC and low hispanic turnout resulted in a close victory for Wilson.
North Dakota - The retirement of long-serving Senator Kent Conrad left an opening for the extremely popular Governor John Hoeven, who was practically begged by the GOP establishment to run. Recruitment on the Democratic side was a flat joke, with both Heitkamps as well as Earl Pomeroy declining, and instead the party turned to commentator Ed Schultz, who had previously considered running for the House as a Republican. Schultz ran a bombastic campaign lambasting his former party as "nigh-on goosesteppers" who were "desperate for war." This strategy would not work out for him and Governor Hoeven won in a landslide.
Pennsylvania - Rick Santorum was deemed the only "at-risk" Republican senator in 2006, and Democrats were eager to oust one of the right's key men in GOP leadership. Governor Bob Casey and Chief of Staff Ed Rendell were not interested in the fight, choosing to continue on in their current roles. Furthermore, Lieutenant Governor Catherine Knoll proved uninspiring in the primary. The task to take on Santorum ultimately fell to pro-abortion activist Kate Michelman. Michelman's candidacy provoked the GOP and anti-abortion groups into action, keeping Santorum afloat as much as they could. A very tight and very bitter race would ensue. The last minute revelation of recordings of Michelman campaign workers mocking Santorum's children proved to tilt the balance in favour of the GOP, and Santorum narrowly pulled one out.
Washington - Weak candidate recruitment in former RNC member Diane Tebelius proved ineffective even with Governor Rossi's strong campaigning.
Wisconsin - What was initially perceived as a genius move proved to fall flat on its face as Assemblyman Scott Walker was chided on charges of incompetence and failed to make a case against popular Senator Herb Kohl.
California - California is obviously not a high priority for Republicans anymore, with President Gore clearing 60% of the vote there in 2004. However, with Senator Dianne Feinstein getting up there in age and with San Fransisco Matt Gonzales rumoured to be making a third party bid, some GOP insiders considered the seat a potential pickup if everything went the right way. Gonzales declined a bid and instead the Green Party put forward a less than known candidate. In addition, it appeared that despite the closeness of the Gubernatorial fight to succeed Gray Davis, Republican candidate Bill Mundell failed to rally voters against the generally popular Feinstein, who won with just under 54% to win a third term in office.
Connecticut - Vice President Lieberman's home state was home to what was (almost!) the closest race of the year with Congressman Chris Shays challenging incumbent Senator Richard Blumenthal, who beat out interim Senator Jodi Rell in a contentious 2002 race that featured Vice President Lieberman as a prominent player. Blumenthal had caught flak for questions about his supposed record in Vietnam. It turns out that Blumenthal had greatly exaggerated his war record, something that received much criticism from other prominent veterans, such as Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and even President Gore himself. Shays' campaign, which at that point seemed a little stale, was reinvigorated as he went on the attack. The Democrats were (quite successfully, it appears) trying to link Shays to the House GOP leadership, which was quite unpopular in Connecticut. Ultimately though Blumenthal carried the day with a 5,000 vote margin, produced after a recount at the Shays campaign's request. Shays was hurt further when his own congressional seat flipped to the Democrats.
Delaware (special) - This was an election that never came to be. The certainty of Congressman Mike Castle's candidacy ultimately nixed Senator Joe Biden's Secretary of State role.
Florida - In spite of Senator George Allen's serious issues on the ticket, Republicans came startlingly close to winning Florida in 2004. Following on from this, the national party made gains in Florida a key target, with the Senate seat considered especially. After popular governor and rumoured Presidential contender Jeb Bush bowed out of the race to go up against Bill Nelson, Republicans opted to hand the nomination to a rising star by the name of Mark Foley. Big mistake. Though the Foley campaign initially appeared to be polling very well, leading Senator Nelson in some polls, the revelations late in the game that he had engaged in sexually suggestive messaging with underage Congressional pages secured Nelson's re-election. Attempts to remove Foley from the ballot were unsuccessful, though a write in campaign for Secretary of State Katherine Harris picked up 5%. The Foley scandal is considered to have also had an impact in other Senate races where Democrats held on narrowly, as the linking of the Republican party to a pedophile proved to be unsurprisingly damaging.
Maryland - This was a pretty pathetic loss for Democrats, who suffered from a divisive primary that featured not only Montgomery Council President Tom Perez, but also Congressmen Kweisi Mifume & Ben Cardin, State Senate Majority Whip Anthony Brown, and former County Executive Dennis Rasmussen. The ultimate victor was little known historian Allan Lichtman, famous for his Keys To The White House model of political predictions, who proved to be totally hapless on the campaign trail, especially against Maryland GOP Chairman Michael Steele, who proved to be an energetic campaigner, and pulled out a decent victory, becoming Maryland's first black senator.
Michigan - This was another comfortable state for Gore in 2004, and many commentators considered Senator Stabenow a near lock for re-election. That all changed with the entry of Domino's CEO and University of Michigan regent Dave Brandon. Considered a star candidate, the field was cleared for him by the state GOP. His self-funding talent resulted in much trouble for Stabenow, who was forced to tap into state party coffers to get her over the finish line. Brandon's entrepreneur message won over Michigan Republicans, who turned out in droves to give him a close victory.
Minnesota - A serious missed opportunity for Republicans who had what could've been a dream ticket this year with Governor Norm Coleman running for re-election and State Representative Tim Pawlenty making his second bid for the Senate after narrowly losing to Paul Wellstone in 2002. Minnesota is the home of Supreme Court Justice Amy Klobuchar, and was instrumental in securing Gore's re-election. Senator Mark Dayton took the decision to retire, citing his dissatisfaction with D.C. and gridlock. Democrats nominated Congresswoman Patty Wetterling, who narrowly triumphed against Trial Lawyer Mike Ciresi in the primary. Republicans nominated Pawlenty quite easily after former Senator Rod Grams dropped out. The general was closely fought with big names called in on both sides, including former contenders George Allen and George W. Bush. The race came down to a recount, as with Connecticut, with Congresswoman Wetterling pulling through after absentee ballots from St. Paul were taken into account. Republicans were quick to blame the independent candidacy of Thomas Harens, who took more votes than the margin between the two main candidates.
Missouri - Senator Mel Carnahan certainly considered himself in danger as far back as 2004, when his state gave George Allen a clear majority of the vote. Numerous Republicans were lining up to challenge him, including former Congressman Jim Talent, State Senator Peter Kinder, and Secretary of State Matt Blunt. Blunt would square off against Kinder in the primary, eventually winning out. Carnahan "fought like hell," to quote a Gore adviser, to avoid losing an inevitable defeat. It was a valiant effort but Blunt's great fundraising and appeal to Republican voters helped him win by a comfortable margin.
Nebraska - This race was blown wide open by the entrance of Governor Mike Johanns, who was hugely popular and would prove to be a vicious foe for Senator Ben Nelson, who had to pivot to the right to keep some of his Republican donors, attacking President Gore's cap-and-trade plan and voting against Attorney General nominee Eric Holder. The revelation that money was being sent to the estates of dead farmers in late 2006 helped dent Democratic numbers
New Jersey - Whoever thought Jon Corzine would appeal to anyone should be locked up. One of the most unpopular senators in the country, and only just about surviving a primary challenge from State Senator Nia Gill, he went up against a well-funded and well-liked Republican candidate in Tom Kean Jr., son of the eponymous governor who still holds some sway in the state. Dissatisfaction with Governor Jim McGreevy likely played a part in Corzine's eventual blowout defeat.
New Mexico - President Gore is still surely smarting over his decision to appoint Jeff Bingaman as his Energy Secretary in 2005. Bingaman had to give up his Senate seat to do so, and under New Mexico election law, a replacement is appointed and would face election at the next general election. Governor Richardson appointed State Representative to the seat. While initially seen as a strong choice, King suffered immensely from accusations of nepotism. Republicans seized the moment and recruited popular Congresswoman Heather Wilson, whose more moderate tone seemed to work well in a state that was moving to the left. King would, in a stunner, lose the primary to Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish, who was encouraged to run by a regretful Richardson. Poor messaging by the DNC and low hispanic turnout resulted in a close victory for Wilson.
North Dakota - The retirement of long-serving Senator Kent Conrad left an opening for the extremely popular Governor John Hoeven, who was practically begged by the GOP establishment to run. Recruitment on the Democratic side was a flat joke, with both Heitkamps as well as Earl Pomeroy declining, and instead the party turned to commentator Ed Schultz, who had previously considered running for the House as a Republican. Schultz ran a bombastic campaign lambasting his former party as "nigh-on goosesteppers" who were "desperate for war." This strategy would not work out for him and Governor Hoeven won in a landslide.
Pennsylvania - Rick Santorum was deemed the only "at-risk" Republican senator in 2006, and Democrats were eager to oust one of the right's key men in GOP leadership. Governor Bob Casey and Chief of Staff Ed Rendell were not interested in the fight, choosing to continue on in their current roles. Furthermore, Lieutenant Governor Catherine Knoll proved uninspiring in the primary. The task to take on Santorum ultimately fell to pro-abortion activist Kate Michelman. Michelman's candidacy provoked the GOP and anti-abortion groups into action, keeping Santorum afloat as much as they could. A very tight and very bitter race would ensue. The last minute revelation of recordings of Michelman campaign workers mocking Santorum's children proved to tilt the balance in favour of the GOP, and Santorum narrowly pulled one out.
Washington - Weak candidate recruitment in former RNC member Diane Tebelius proved ineffective even with Governor Rossi's strong campaigning.
Wisconsin - What was initially perceived as a genius move proved to fall flat on its face as Assemblyman Scott Walker was chided on charges of incompetence and failed to make a case against popular Senator Herb Kohl.
- Status