Autism Speaks CEO Omar S. Rahasapeemapetilon of Oregon runs a moderate, business-oriented campaign that isn't really all that popular at all with the people, and he taps fellow CEO-turned-
Governor Ray Knowland Thomas of Illinois. But he does have the luck of running to differ from that of the current New Democrat President in office with barely above 50% in approvals.
Secretary of Health Emily S. Peebleton did everything she could to capitalize on the incumbent's popularity, along with her own top-notch qualifications. She even sought out a running mate from projected swing state Arizona in the form of the popular
Senator DeValle Sentriss.But earlier troubles in the primaries with renegade
Congressman Larry Smith [D-Markleeville] from California's 4th district, aka Gold Country led to a bit of leftist split between the establishment and the populist outsiders. Unsatisfied with the popular vote- delegate dissonance (speculated by some to have come from some hijinx in The Weed Triangle which otherwise would've given Peebleton the popular vote in California), Smith decided to go full-on Indie on a crusade to make the popular vote the ONLY vote on ALL levels. He chose the moderate
Governor Jimmie Spoul of Missouri to appease wary Blue Dogs.
The nature of the election, which was surprisingly the most spirited, but good-natured meant a lot of states were turned into battlegrounds. And yet it was the businessman whom employed a 50 state strategy. Whereas Rep. Smith mostly just visited the Midwest, which was hit hard by economic downturns which no party seemed ready to answer, and around the Mormon Spine and Sec. Peebleton mostly just hit Ohio, NC, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Arizona, with one hail-mary in Michigan.
Mr. Omar S. Rahasapeemapetilon (R-OR)/Governor Ray Knowland Thomas (R-IL):
274 EV, 44% pvSec. of Health Emily Peebleton (D-NC) / Senator DeValle Sentriss (D-AZ) 244 EV,
48% pvCongressman Larry Smith (D/I-CA) / Governor Jimmie Spoul (D-MO) 24 EV, 8% pv In the end, while many surmised it'd be one of the Southern states that would call the election, it was in fact an odd combination of The West and The Rust Belt that determined the election. In the former Mr. Smith nabbed votes from Nevada, New Mexico, and Colorado that would've gone to Peebleton and votes from Utah, Montana, Idaho, and Arizona that would've gone to Rahasapeemapetilon. In the latter, Rep. Smith largely just took away votes away from Peebleton.
Because of this, there is a split between the establishment and populist elements of the Democratic Party over what cost the election: The former blame Smith for entering and for eating up the vote in Denver, Cleveland, Roanoke, Raleigh, Savannah, and Charlottesville...even one of these cities they allege would've flipped one of these states and thrown the election to the House, who might've given it to Peebleton. The latter that didn't go over to camp Smith allege that Peebleton shouldn't have taken The Midwest for granted in the first place and run a more fluid campaign responsive to the people.
