President Hoag talking to a New York worker, 2020.
When President Ross refused to run for the 2020 US Presidential Election many politicians would throw their hat into the ring, but it was Anne Marie Hoag, the director of the United States Department of Damage Control who surprised everyone to win the day. Appointed to her Department by President Obama, Hoag would aggressively promote her department, taking control of collecting, analysing and storing the alien material present post the Battle for New York, clearing the damage from the Battle of the Triskelion in 2014, and cleaning up after many other superhuman battles, as well as publishing papers on the nature of superhumans, alien life etc.
Hoag was pictured rolling up her sleeves after the SNAP and helping with debris removal; Damage Control's work to clear US cities and Hoag's vocal urging to 'get back to work' helped keep her prominent in the years after the dusting. With no experience on the floor in Capital Hill many thought Hoag would not stand a chance with the voters, especially as she stood as an independent, but the public rallied to her cause, with her poll numbers well above her opponents from the traditional parties. Hoag would tour all 50 states, and even US troops aboard during a gruelling stump season, but would handily win the election.
Inaugurated on Jan 20th, 2021 Hoag would serve a full term - she would bring the devastated Puerto Rico and Guam into the Union, and pass a toughed version of Obama's healthcare plan as well as Preside over an extensive reform of agriculture to deal with the reduced population of the US and international trade. Hoag would also greatly expand the powers of the Department of Damage Control to some criticism.
During the return of all the Missing on October 17, 2023, Hoag's handling of the chaos in trying to home, feed, and deal with the millions of Returned was praised and criticised by many. Hoag managed to keep her job despite the return of President Ellis, who graciously 'respected democracy' and stepped aside, though Hoag have him a job in the Cabinet as a 'Special Advisor' for the duration of the crisis.
Hoag would stand again in 2024, but her opponent republican Dermont Ritson used some very dirty campaigning to deny her a second term. Hoag tried to be above his style and took a risk running on a clean campaign, with help from President Ellis and President Obama, however the Returned made for a wild factor in the election and given many had not lived through Hoag's years in office where not inclined towards her Presidency. Ritson would win, though it was a very close race akin to Bush vs Gore.
Despite some suggestion otherwise, Presdient Ritson would not give Hoag command of Damage Control back due to his political differences with Hoag, appointing his own man to the job. Hoag has never publicly commented on this and has returned to the business world.
