A New America - 2016 Primaries (Please READ before voting)

[Maxwell]

A New America - 2016 Primary

Feingold's first term was productive and rocky. Feingold pushed for universal healthcare, and managed passage of a single payer healthcare system over the objections of a near united Republican caucus. Feingold also managed passage of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, putting stringent regulations on companies who don't pay fair wages for women, and the Criminal Justice Reform Act, which repeals some of the mandatory minimums imposed on drug offenses, and makes it easier for employers to hire ex-cons. Finally, Feingold passed a tax increase toward the end of year two in his lame duck session, but after year two things slowed down significantly. The reason for his successful first half of the first term agenda? corruption! Led by Former Senate Majority Leader Roger Bedford, a sizable number of Conservative Democrats (and a few Liberal Republicans) blackmailed the rest of the Democratic caucus into giving them sizable amounts of pork barrel projects and even some benefits for the Senators themselves in order to get those bills passed. The Bedford bunch either did not stand for re-election (Jim Edgar, Steve Beshear) or stood for re-election and lost horribly (John Edwards, Roger Bedford). Republicans captured the house, and got very close to capturing the Senate. But Republicans moved both chambers further to the right than even they expected - as primary challengers Steve Pressler of Arkansas (RIP Asa Hutchison), Philip Gunn of Mississippi (goodbye Trent Lott), Shane Osborne of Nebraska (RIP Brad Ashford), Mark Sanford of South Carolina (RIP David Beasley), Van Taylor of Texas (Sending Aaron Barnes to the political graveyard), and Cale Case of Wyoming (Senator Colin Simpson).

Feingold's approval ratings are middling, as he has done battle in both a very favorable terrain and a very unfavorable one, and the economy, despite mild improvements, has not gone far enough. Feingold's stimulus package only made a dent in the unemployment, and inequality is still rising in America. President Feingold, nevertheless, has told audiences about his successes, and his critiques of House Speaker Steve Latham (R-MI) and the Republican caucus now dead set on opposing him every step of the way. Feingold pledges to complete his progressive agenda by passing comprehensive ethics reform, finishing campaign finance reform that was started too late in his first two years, and closing the inequality gap for all Americans. Democrats are satisified with his performance generally, as he is only opposed by Former one-term Governor of Massachusetts Robert F. Kennedy Jr, known to be a right-wing Democrat who wants to ban abortion, ban gay marriage, reduce the size of government and end mandatory vaccines.

The Republican side faces an interesting conundrum - how do we fight a vulnerable Feingold? The Republican candidates include

Governor Mick Cornett (R-OK) - Chairman of the Republican Governors Association, Cornett's governance of Oklahoma has been presented as a model for Republicans to work from - he's pushed for an overhaul of public education, introduction of school choice, rural and urban economic development, all while cutting taxes for the state, allowing it to become a hotbed for business. Cornett's policies show he's something of a big government conservative, and he's maintained the line on the Republican standard issue social policy, but in his crafty way, he's also criticized President Feingold for doing little beyond surface level on trade issues. Cornett pledges for tougher negotiations with China, but is careful to go for a full reversal of Kasich policy in that area.

Senator Walter Jones Jr. (R-NC) - A standard bearer for Republican protectionists, Jones' candidacy is based on shredding all current trade agreements and starting from scratch. Jones also pushes for a severe austerity agenda, reducing the size of government to a size the founders would've wanted it. He makes plays for the protectionists, the libertarians, and the social conservatives, with his anti-military stance, and his full abolish abortion and stronger enforcement on all parties plank. He faced a tough primary in 2014 from a Kasich Era Conservative, but swatted the challenge by 15 points.

Senator Bob Beauprez (R-CO) - with the endorsement of several conservative groups, Beauprez is the classic conservative candidate. He ran on Webb's ticket and was fully supportive, and despite Jones fitting in more with Webb's views, Webb has called Jones a "crackhead" and has backed Beauprez. Beauprez stands with the protectionists on trade, but by and large is a very conventional far right conservative - pushing for a balanced budget, reduction in the size of government, corporate tax reform, and repeal of FEINCARE. Beauprez hopes his Colorado Individualist charm helps him among the sizable libertarian wing of the party, as his social policy, which aligns more with Walter Jones than Mitt Romney, certainly won't, nor will his strong support for a flag burning amendment.

Governor David Dewhurst (R-TX) - Dewhurst is challenging Beauprez's claim to the throne of conservative groups. Dewhurst is the four-term Governor of Texas, and has been praised as remarkably effecient. Unlike his partner Mick Cornett, Dewhurst has largely based his legacy on taxes, calling himself "The Terminator". Unlike the other candidates above, Dewhurst is the first free trader on the list, and pushes that with his small government agenda. He also portrays his long experience as executive as a major plus and criticizes Beauprez and Jones as "grandstanders who haven't done the job". Dewhurst's ads include fast cars and announcer who says Dewhurst can "GIT THE JERB DONE".

Former Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA) - Romney returns from exile to run for President again. From the Party's liberal wing, he has pushed back against the other candidates, calling for a reform of FEINCARE instead of all out repeal. Romney also is pro choice, pro gay rights, and calls for reform of government services instead of all out reduction in the size of government. Romney pledges to be "The People's President", and pushes for expanded trade across the world, though he does have tough rhetoric with China.

Congressman Justin Amash (R-MI) - Representative of the Libertarian wing, since the superior Senator Cale Case of Wyoming only just won election in 2014. Enough said.

Businessman Mark Cuban (R-PA) - Cuban is this years oddball candidate. Cuban calls FEINCARE a "god damn mess for regulators, companies, and the public", chastises Republicans for being so obsessed with tax cuts as a part of tax reform, calls for an overhaul of American infrastructure, is skeptical of military intervention, pro choice, pro gay rights, pro pot, but not libertarian in the way of personal freedoms as he doesn't mind drone technology, government spying, and has called due process for terrorists "stupid", calls for paid medical leave for women, and calls for a trade revision act, revising our priorities across the world. Cuban wants a revolution in the Republican to make it "less stupid", he embraces climate change but believes there are solutions out there that are business friendly, but at the same time uses tariffs sparingly. Cuban is often criticized for having two different positions in the same day.

[Orthogonian Society Treasurer]

Jones!

[Goldwater]

Dewhurst.

[NeverAgain]

Reelect the President!

[Maxwell]

Interesting results so far on the Republican side - Beauprez's strategy of maintaining traditional conservatism except on trade doesn't seem to be working all that well.

[Kingpoleon]

Romney!

[SNJ1985]

Jones!

[Maxwell]

Jones's strategy of appealing to the Populist Right, the Religious Right, and sucking up a bit of the anti-war/libertarian right appears to be working.

Could I get suggestions for running mates? Here's a list of people and there offices for not already existant candidates:

Former Governor Jeb Bush (R-FL) - Right, Free Trade
Former Governor Gene Taylor (R-MS) - Center Right, Fair Trade
Governor Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) - Center Right, Free Trade
Governor John Martin (R-NM) - Center Right, Has not discussed trade
Governor Ed Voorhees (I-ND) - Centrist, Fair Trade, Pro-Life, Native American
Governor Trey Gowdy (R-SC) - Far Right, Free Trade
Senator J.C. Watts (R-OK) - Far Right, Free Trade
Senator Mike Lawrence (R-LA) - Far Right, Fair Trade
Minority Whip Mike Simpson (R-ID) - Center Right, Free Trade
Senator Jack Donaghy (D-PA) () - Center Left, Fair Trade, Pro-Life, Catholic as Hell, like a Democrat John McCain, something of a Maverick
Senator Melissa Hart (R-PA) - Center Right, Fair Trade, Pro-Choice

[Maxwell]

I forgot to mention primaries have two days of voting instead of 3 for election days. I have a map that might change if more votes come in between now and 8 o'clock.

[Maxwell]

2016 Republican Primaries

The main event of primary season, the Republicans faced an on edge primary season that ended in no way the way pundits anticipated. The initial polls of the race showed Bob Beauprez leading ahead by a wide margin, with David Dewhurst as the up and comer and Mick Cornett as the wild card. Mark Cuban's late entry in the race would throw this off, and Cuban would usurp Dewhurst as the frontrunner. Cuban lead every poll before the first Caucus of Iowa, but Cuban had poor organization in early states, touting his appeal in urban and suburban communities as the path forward for his candidacy. This proved to be a crucial mistake for Cuban. In Iowa, Cuban would face the sweet music when he gets third - behind Walter Jones, a candidate who rose in Iowa thanks to his strong religious conservatism and support for farmers, and David Dewhurst, the traditionalist conservative candidate (usurping the title from the falling Beauprez, who hit 4th in Iowa, just ahead of Mick Cornett). New Hampshire would go to Romney, as would Nevada, and South Carolina would go to Dewhurst, again snubbing Mark Cuban. Cuban would not earn a win until Virginia, where D.C. Suburbs would propel Cuban to a sizable win over Jones. By then, Jones-mentum may have been too much.

Walter Jones was not the establishment pick, but he was the voters pick. He played all the right cards for GOP voters - he was the religious right candidate and made a point of being that early, he was the populist candidate, where Mick Cornett appeared too big government and Bob Beauprez appeared to be using populism as a ploy, and he gained sympathy from the libertarian community for his anti-war stance. Jones would bull-doze through most of the primaries, losing the Mormon west, most of New England, and the Romney Home of Michigan to Romney (who represented a lust for Traditional Liberal Republicanism), losing Urban centers and New Tech to Cuban (who represented something of a New Republicanism), and losing various home states and Libertarian bases (Alaska) to a swath of other candidates.



Senator Walter Jones Jr. (R-NC)
Former Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA)
Businessman Mark Cuban (R-PA)
Governor David Dewhurst (R-TX)
Congressman Justin Amash (R-MI)
Senator Bob Beauprez (R-CO)
Governor Mick Cornett (R-OK)

2016 Democratic Primaries

Russ Feingold faced very little real competition, winning 90%+ in most of the primaries. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., however, got to run as a vague protest candidate, and manage to score surprise narrow wins in Applachia and Oklahoma, wins that sent shock waves through the press. This, of course, led to more exposure of RFK Jr.'s notable anti-vaccine record, and some embarassment for the Feingold campaign. Nevertheless, Feingold was re-nominated with ease. Kennedy would go on to endorse Walter Jones for President.

President Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Former Governor Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (D-MA)