As the primaries were rapping up, the GOP began having huge sigh of relief. The moderate hero candidate Senator Olie S. Freake of Michigan had won the nomination and the Democrats had nominated Senator Antonio of New Jersey who was considered my most to be too radical. The libertarians had nominated former GOP representative Goldwater of Washington. Running as an independent conservative, was the Governor of New Jersey "Pessy" Antineutrino. Early polls showed Sen. Freake with a decent lead, however it began to diminish greatly as audio clips were leaked of offensive remarks made about southerners and conservatives. Soon the media began to dub it "Dixiegate" and within weeks Antonio and Freake were tied at 35% each and the rest undecided or leaning 3rd party. The bottom dropping out from Sen. Freake's campaign greatly aided Governor Pessy as his poll numbers shot up to 16%, enough to make the debate a 3-way for the first time since 1992. The 3 debates were an unmitigated disaster for Sen. Freake who quickly fell into making cheap shots at conservatism, and ranting on how the south was ruing this country, worst yet came when he denounced all Democrats as racists and the party of slavery, effectively ending all cross over support.
After the debates the GOP national commitee decided to begin cutting connections to Olie and unofficially began to support Pessy. The State GOP leadership of at least 15 states outright endorsed Pessy in an act of rebellion. By election day, Freake had dropped to under 20% and was expected to carry only Michigan, as it was the only state where Pessy had not made the ballot. It turned out that Goldwater would be able to win just enough to throw Michigan to Antonio.
Governor "Plessy" Antineutrino - 41%
Senator Antonio - 34%
Fmr. Rep Goldwater - 15%
Senator Olie S. Freake - 10%
