The Biden Administration and its aftermath - 2024 election game (Gameplay thread)

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OOC introduction: Hey everyone, thank you for joining this. We are going to start the game and if anyone else wants to join in, they will be added until the end of turn 2. If you need any kind of information related to the game, its rules, polls, focus groups etc. I am here to help you so make sure to PM me. Turn 1 takes place in May 2023.

Turn 1 - May 2023

Following some boring years in American politics, excitement is finally back as the 2024 general election starts and both President Biden and former President Trump have decided not to run, thus opening up the fields of both parties for new candidates.

On the Democratic side, Vice President Harris seems to be the frontrunner however the presence of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, socialist Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, populist Senator Sherrod Brown and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker guarantees she is not in for a coronation.

On the Republican side, former VP Mike Pence is backed by the Tea Party and Trumpists, however Nikki Haley has been very popular with the traditional conservatives and all other candidates have a shot at the nomination.

Democratic polls -

Vice President Harris - 36%

Governor Cuomo - 23%

Rep. Ocasio Cortez - 17%

Senator Brown - 13%

Senator Booker - 11%

Republican polls -

Fmr. VP Pence - 34%

Fmr. UN Ambassador Haley - 31%

Senator Rubio - 19%

Senator Hawley - 9%

Mr. Trump Jr. - 7%

If you are not polling well right now, do not worry! These are big advantages, but based on notoriety. They will disappear as the candidates get more well known. Everyone has a good chance of victory, depending on their campaign!

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So could I join at the start of round two?

You can join now as Oregon Blue Dog opted out. Also keep this in the Sing Up thread please.

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Turn 2 - June 2023

Democratic polls -

Vice President Harris - 54%

Rep. Ocasio Cortez - 29%

Senator Brown - 17%

Republican polls -

Fmr VP Pence - 47%

Fmr. Ambassador Haley - 44%

Mr. Trump Jr. - 9%

These polls are only for the announced candidates! If you still have not posted your announcement speech/first schedule, you will be included once you do so.

IN-GAME EVENTS

Justice Stephen Breyer dead, Biden pick blocked by McConnell

On 15th May 2023, the most unfortunate has happened - Justice Stephen Breyer, liberal nominated by Bill Clinton to serve on the Supreme Court in 1994, has died of a sudden heart attack, thus giving  Biden the first Supreme Court vacancy of his term. However, the nominee picked by the President, Sri Srinivasan, has been denied a hearing by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell from the very beginning, despite outrage from the Democrats and even some moderate Republicans. It remains to be seen how the Presidential candidates, especially GOP ones, position themselves towards this crisis.

Brief border conflict between Russia and Estonia

Following Vladimir Putin stepping down in mid-2021 from the leadership of Russia, the Russian leadership has taken a more expansionist approach toward foreign policy, namely placing thousands of troops at the border with Estonia, which is a member of NATO. On May 17th, a conflict started from unknown reasons lasted for about 30 minutes at the border, a development which alarmed many in the West. President Biden pledged his full support to the US ally.

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New Turn 2 mechanics -

Every turn will last a month in-game, and a schedule is expected. It does not have to be extremely specific, just list where your candidate is. 3 turns without a schedule is considered to be a withdrawal. If you want to drop out for personal reasons, you can endorse another candidate but the votes will be distributed between the remaining candidates instead of transferred.

A debate will be organized every 2 turns, and there will be 2 total town halls per turn for individual candidates. They can be reserved by PM.

For endorsements, you can have 3 free endorsements every turn, and one will be added for every 5% in the polls. Sitting Senators or Governors can not endorse candidates under 15% in their states, and major organizations will not endorse candidates under 10% nationwide. Until a list is available, feel free to PM me to ask about who occupies a certain office (the officials are obviously different in many cases from OTL.)

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BREAKING NEWS - Senate passes cloture vote to proceed with hearings for Sri Srinivasan

Following intense efforts by the Biden White House, with significant help from Democratic Senators such as Sherrod Brown, enough moderate Republicans have joined the Democrats in passing a cloture vote in order to grant the Biden nominee a hearing. This is a major defeat for Majority Leader McConnell, however it is still unknown whether Srinivasan will actually be confirmed by the Senate.

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ANNOUNCEMENT - From now on, you can request to have an interview so I can send you the questions. There will be a maximum of two interviews every turn.

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One-on-one interview of Mike Lindell by Jake Tapper

TAPPER - As everyone in the country who is politically interested already knows, you have gotten yourself into a conflict with Vice President Harris based on her religious beliefs. What do you say to voters who now fear a potential Lindell Administration would be scandal ridden or even religiously oppressive?

LINDELL - The media is not reporting this very fairly. We have religious freedom in this country like you wouldn’t believe and I’m fighting to keep it that way. Kamala, she’s the one who wants to shut down Churches. It’s a very hateful thing, and we gotta stand up against that.

Kamala has said some very mean things about Americans, and you know, you gotta fight back against the lies coming from her. She called Americans terrorists, the other day. You don’t see the media reporting that! She said she’s gonna send our soldiers to war with Russia! You wanna see what happens when you invade Russia, just ask Hitler! Very bad leadership from her. It’s like she doesn’t know a thing. She can’t keep getting away with this!

There will be no scandals from me. The media, they make up scandals and they expect you to say the right words all the time, so they may try to say we had scandals. But no scandals will come from President Mike. I will run a clean ship. I will ban lobbyists on day 1 and make all of the crooked politicians come clean about their corruption. We’re getting rid of the rot folks.

TAPPER - Following the same controversy, many figures associated with the Republican establishment, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have openly called for you to drop out of the race and disavowed your, in their view, hateful rhetoric. Will you do anything to mend fences with them?

LINDELL - I build fences. I work with people. I am a dealmaker. You know, Kevin, he needs to get his news from the right places. There are a lot of media people that don’t tell the right story, and they get it wrong. I am gonna work with everyone who wants to see America get back on its feet. Sadly, Kamala is just too lost to ever see the light. It’s like she’s actively rooting for the country to lose.

TAPPER - On another note, many southern evangelicals, which have in the past been reliable Republican supporters, have freaked out following your call to legalize marijuana. Do you stand by your view on the issue?

LINDELL - It’s all about a fair deal. We work with these people, you know, the surf boys and urban youths. They’re good people. We help them out and let the boys in blue crack down on the violent thugs. I certainly think we need to stop this evil opioid epidemic that’s killing millions of people across the country. The Pharma Industry, who totally own Kamala by the way, they’re the real murderers. We got to get those pills off the streets and punish the pill pushers in Washington.

TAPPER - What do you think is your path to 270 against Vice President Harris or another Democratic candidate, should you win the nomination?

LINDELL - We’re gonna compete everywhere in America. We’re all Americans, folks. They just released a poll that said 90% of people hate lobbyists. Those are our voters right there.

The National Media, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, you know, they say we’re divided. C’mon, we’re not divided! 95% of Americans agree on this stuff. We should be united on that. We believe that everyone in this country should be able to live a good life, a decent life. That’s our win right there. We are gonna run our campaign everywhere. In the cities. On the farms. In the suburbs. Wherever there are good people, my campaign is gonna fight for them.

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One-on-one interview of Donald Trump Jr. by Jake Tapper

TAPPER - You are obviously very associated with your father, former President Trump, and his Administration. That comes with obvious advantages, but some voters are wondering in what ways do you differ with your father and what would you have done differently than he has? And on that note, how is your candidacy consistent with the accusations made by Trump in 2016 against a Clinton dynasty?

TRUMP JR. - Well first of all. Thanks for having me on the show. So when looking at the presidency of my father, which by the way was the greatest administration... maybe ever, there’s a lot of things I would have done the same but the areas were I differ, there are a few of them.
Uhh, first of all, and this relates to the Clinton dynasty thing, he should’ve had his attorney general investigate the Clinton foundation. It’s up to some sketchy stuff. Also, something else here is that I am also building my campaign partially around reaching the young voters, I’m sure you and many Americans have noticed my use of
Social media and visits to college, the youth are our future and I think that’s where I’m going to be the most different from my father.

TAPPER - While you have certainly created a lot of enthusiasm around your candidacy, there are still many supporting the MAGA Movement and your father that support, even if reluctantly, his former Vice President, and are worried that your candidacy will spoil the nomination to someone like Nikki Haley, who represents the more moderate wing of the GOP. How do you respond to those accusations?

TRUMP JR. - So first of all, let me say this. Mike Pence served with my father admirably for four years but, he’s not fit to be president. He’s so low energy and boring, I don’t know
How he would inspire the base the way I can. I’m not sure if you’ve seen it but our rallies are growing. In fact, I promise that, to help solidify the Republican base I will choose a candidate more in line with this “moderate wing” like Nikki Haley, but maybe not necessarily her. We obviously have to wait for the right time to announce. I think that the American people will see, during the campaign, that I’m the logical choice. Especially for fans of what you called the MAGA movement

TAPPER - During the Trump Administration and afterwards, you have promoted numerous conspiracy theories and accusations against your opponents. Now, some QAnon believers believe that you will embrace their theory, with Q himself ordering his followers to back you. What is your response to that?

TRUMP JR. - I wouldn’t say they’re all necessarily conspiracy theories. Look, the Democrats have been up to some very shady stuff and I do believe it needs exposed. If Q wants to endorse me I’ll gladly accept it, but the point is the Democratic Party has done some bad stuff and keeps attempting to cover it up, I don’t know what’s so bad about myself attempting to expose them.

TAPPER - What is your path to 270 against Vice President Harris or another Democratic candidate, should you win the nomination?

TRUMP JR. - Great question! So. First of all we are running a campaign I genuinely believe that everyone could get behind. All Americans. All of them. We have multiple youth outreach programs and centers being set up nationwide. We have minority outreach teams going out for us. We will even go to places like... like Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, to spread our message, a message of the people, for the people, and by the people.
I think we will turn out not only the normal Republican base but I’m also attempting to swing moderate and independent voters over to us, and talk to those people across the country who are so often ignored. God bless them! Thank you

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Turn 3 - July 2023

Democratic polls -

Vice President Harris - 55%

Senator Brown - 31%

Representative Ocasio Cortez - 14%

Republican polls -

Former Ambassador Haley - 36%

Former VP Pence - 33%

Mr. Trump Jr. - 17%

Mr. Lindell - 8%

Governor Noem - 6%

These polls are only for the announced candidates! If you still have not posted your announcement speech/first schedule, you will be included once you do so.

IN-GAME EVENTS

Bernie Sanders, dead at 82 following a heart attack

The Vermont Senator, Democratic presidential candidate and progressive icon Bernie Sanders has sadly passed away on June 13th following another heart attack, of much bigger proportions than the one he suffered in 2019. Many in the nation mourned him, with the President and many other politicians having kind words to say about the late Senator. Governor Phil Scott has yet to announce who will fill the vacancy. However, this could not have come at a worse time for the Democrats.

Srinivasan nomination fails, 49-50

The Democrats were really hopeful about this vote, as it looked as if they had enough votes to at least throw it to Vice President Harris as a tie-breaker. However, their plans were ruined by the death of Bernie Sanders, and with the vote held 2 days after, Srinivasan failed with 49 ayes and 50 nays. Both sides have had a lot to lose from this situation, with the Biden Administration failing to fill the seat and McConnell being weakened as Majority Leader, as only the forces of nature have prevented the liberal judge from getting the confirmation. Is a compromise possible?

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Approved endorsements -

Kamala Harris -

Former Senator Tom Harkin

Rep. Jim Clyburn

Senator Jeanne Shaheen

Senator Maggie Hassan

Former Governor John Lynch

Senator Jackie Rosen

Fmr. Rep. Abby Finkenauer

Fmr. Rep. Cindy Axne

National Organization for Women

Sherrod Brown -

Senator Elizabeth Warren

Former Senator Russ Feingold

Governor Gretchen Whitmer

Nikki Haley -

Governor Kim Reynolds

Senator Thom Tillis

Rep. Nancy Mace

Donald Trump Jr. -

Senator Tim Scott

Senator Ted Cruz

Mike Lindell -

Businessman Willie Wilson

Actress Gina Carano

Actress Roseanne Barr

Every candidate still has a ton of endorsements they could add, send me your lists!

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BREAKING - Syrian Civil War finally ends as the country returns under the control of Assad

The conflict which lasted more than 12 years is finally over as the last Kurdish forces were defeated near the Iraqi border and Turkey agreed to return the Northern lands it occupies to the Syrian government. Now, the pro-Russian dictator Bashar al-Assad is back in control of the country despite attempts by numerous rebel factions to oust him. However, the Biden Administration has so far refused to recognize the authoritarian regime and has no plans to do so in the future.

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BREAKING - Laura Sibilia, appointed to fill in vacant seat until the special election

Keeping his pledge to appoint a left-leaning independent if a Senate seat becomes vacant, Scott has appointed leftist State Representative Laura Sibilia to be a Senator for the next 6 months, until the special election. Sibilia has promised to caucus with the Democrats and has already guaranteed that she will not run in the special election.

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FIRST DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
Anderson Cooper - Good evening, I am Anderson Cooper and I will be moderating the first Democratic Presidential Debate here in Atlanta, Georgia. I am here with Vice President Kamala Harris and Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown. Candidates will give an opening statement, answer two specific questions, and give a closing statement. So, without further ado, let's start.

Specific Questions

To Vice President Harris -

1. Many Democrats are disappointed with the lack of legislative accomplishments by the Biden Administration during the last four years, claiming that they have been an wasted opportunity. What do you believe is the cause of it and what will you do differently shall you be elected?

2. People were shocked when at the beginning of the campaign you have called for a travel ban with Saudi Arabia, with many drawing parallels with the infamous Trumpist travel ban. How can you defend your position in front of a largely Democratic audience?

To Senator Brown -

1. Given that the Senate is likely to stay Republican even after November, what are your plans to prevent the same gridlock that happened during this Administration?

2. Given that the unfortunate departure of Senator Bernie Sanders has brought back memories of his campaign to many progressives, do you believe he would have made a better President than Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden and do you believe that your campaign is continuing his legacy?

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FIRST REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
Chris Wallace - Good evening, I am Chris Wallace and I will be moderating the first Republican Presidential Debate here in Erie, Pennsylvania. I am here with Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, Former Vice President Mike Pence, Businessman Donald Trump Jr., Businessman Mike Lindell and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. Candidates will give an opening statement, answer two specific questions, and give a closing statement. So, without further ado, let's start.

Specific Questions -

To Former Ambassador Haley -

1. Right now, you are the frontrunner for the Republican nomination. However, many conservatives feel like you do not truly share their values. Why do you think that is and what would you if you are nominated to convince them to vote for you?

2. Given the still ongoing debate in the country regarding the fairness of the 2020 election, do you believe that the election was rigged or that the Biden victory was legitimate?

To former Vice President Pence -

1. Polls from many companies, including Republican ones, show that so far your campaign has failed to impress and allowed other, more exotic candidates to capture the attention of the conservatives. Do you think those polls are accurate and does your campaign need changes?

2. Former President Trump, seemingly in an effort to help his son, has started regularly tweeting about you, attacking as a weak, useless Vice President who almost botched the COVID-19 response. What is your response to that?

To Mr. Trump Jr. -

1. Ted Cruz has endorsed you, despite your father attacking his parentage and family during the 2016 campaign. Do you believe you will be able to maintain better relationships with politicians than he did?

2. What are your specific solutions for cutting the deficit and paying the national debt?

To Mr. Lindell -

1. In the latest General Election polls, Harris and Brown are both leading against you by over 8%. How can you convince Republicans that voting for you does not mean another four years of a Democratic Administration?

2. Many voters are concerned about you promoting an unproven treatment against COVID-19 that ultimately was found not to work. What were you thinking and can the public trust you to handle things responsibly if another health crisis appears?

To Governor Noem -

1. Despite polls showing you polling well against Harris in the general, you only won in 2018 by 3.4% in South Dakota. Why was it so close in that very conservative state and what does it say about your electability?

2. You are running against a more experienced conservative with similar policy positions, namely Vice President Pence. Why are you a better choice?

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CNN poll - Who won the Democratic debate?

Senator Brown - 63%

Vice President Harris - 37%

According to pollster Frank Luntz, the performance of Kamala Harris was nothing short of disastrous, as many people saw her points as incoherent, disagreed with her position of the travel ban and thought she was taking the nomination for granted while Brown was perceived as more competent and, interestingly, more electable.

OOC - Obviously these debates will have a modest effect on polling, just like IRL, and are just added to spice things up a bit.

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2023 Races for Senate and Governorships
VERMONT SENATE SPECIAL ELECTION - Phil Scott (R) vs Rebecca Holcombe (D)

Following the death of progressive icon Bernie Sanders and the appointment of leftist independent Laura Sibilia who has said she will not run for re-election, Governor Phil Scott has decided to run for the seat himself, being the only candidate putting it in play for the Republican Party. However, backlash against Mitch McConnell and extreme reluctance to give him another Senate seat make this race very, very competitive between Scott and Democratic nominee Rebecca Holcombe

RCP Average -
Holcombe - 50.2%
Scott - 49%

Kentucky Gubernatorial - Andy Beshear (D) vs Michael Adams (R)

Popular Governor Andy Beshear seems likely to win this race against Secretary of State Michael Adams, who has tried to tie this race to the national climate in this red state, so far without success.

RCP Average -
Beshear - 53.1%
Adams - 45.2%

Louisiana Gubernatorial - Jeff Landry (R) vs Dartanyon Williams (D)

The race to succeed the term-limited Governor John Bel Edwards is on, and this has been a top GOP target for years. However, surprising rising star Dartanyon Williams has turned this race into a true toss-up against the uncharismatic establishment figure Jeff Landry.

RCP Average -
Williams - 49.4%
Landry - 48.9%

Mississippi Gubernatorial - Tate Reeves (R) vs Mike Espy (D)

Perhaps the only 2023 race where one can be pretty sure of the outcome, Governor Reeves is leading in this very conservative state against Mike Espy, who is viewed as a perennial candidate at this point after losing twice to Cindy Hyde Smith.

RCP Average -
Reeves - 53.9%
Espy - 46.2%

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Fox News poll - Who won the GOP debate?

Mr. Lindell - 37%

Fmr. Ambassador Haley - 35%

Mr. Trump Jr. - 28%

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Turn 3 - August 2023

Democratic polls -

Vice President Harris - 58%

Senator Brown - 42%

Republican polls -

Fmr. Ambassador Haley - 42%

Mr. Trump Jr. - 31%

Mr. Lindell - 27%

These polls are taken at the beginning of the month and do not reflect later in-game events from that turn (important for this turn in particular)

IN-GAME EVENTS

New evidence found suggesting Hunter Biden was bribed by Ukrainians

A scandal many on Fox News dramatically called bigger than Watergate, a report of a private investigator was leaked revealing that Hunter Biden was bribed by businessmen in Ukraine during his time at Burisma. Furthermore, several text messages between Hunter and his father, President Biden, were leaked that were interpreted by conservative pundits as showing Biden knowing about the illegal affairs of his son. For his part, Joe Biden has denied any wrongdoings and expressed again how proud he was of his son.

Big Backlash against Biden WH and Democrats following the new Hunter scandal

However, the effects this new scandal would have upon the White House would soon become clear. The House and Senate dropped any efforts to cooperate with the Administration, even as minor as they were in the first place, and turned their focus on investigating the Hunter Biden scandal and trying to tie Joe Biden to it. Speaker McCarthy even threatened to indict the President, however it is unlikely for him to be able to do that.

The polls were just as merciless. The approval ratings of the President have dropped, depending on the pollster, by 5-10% and went into the negative for the first time in 2023. And Democratic candidates in the 2023 races have seen their numbers collapse, with Scott and Landry opening up big leads and Adams closing on Beshear. Pundits disagree on whether this is a temporary development. And many in the campaign of the Vice President have privately expressed concern behind closed doors about how Democrats may start wanting to nominate someone more distant from the WH.

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BREAKING - Democratic Party unites around Sherrod Brown following Hunter Biden bombshell

Probably the most clear loser from the Hunter Biden scandals, even more than Joe Biden himself or down-ballot Democrats, is Kamala Harris. The Democratic front-runner has had to end her campaign following the bombshell, leaving Sherrod Brown as the presumptive Democratic nominee.

While most party operatives and officials were privately hoping for a Harris victory before the scandal, now they are trying to stick around Brown to prevent a bloodbath in 2024. Behind closed doors, they say that they are fine with the Ohio Senator, who is probably better positioned to win the General Election as he is from the Midwest and uninvolved with the Biden controversies. Both the Socialists and the Moderates are happy with this outcome, while the establishment is disappointed but decided that Brown is the least-bad option for the future of the party. The Democrats enter the campaign united.

Meanwhile, according to POLITICO, Brown is already considering multiple VP choices, all of them women. The women considered are Former Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, former Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and HUD Secretary Keisha Lance Bottoms. However, an announcement is not expected on the Vice Presidential pick anytime soon.

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Turn 4 - September 2023

Republican polls -

Fmr. Ambassador Haley - 45%

Mr. Lindell - 28%

Mr. Trump Jr. - 27%

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SECOND REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
Tucker Carlson - Good evening, I am Tucker Carlson and I will be moderating the second Republican Presidential Debate here in Phoenix, Arizona. I am here with Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, Businessman Mike Lindell and Businessman Donald Trump Jr. Candidates will give an opening statement, answer two specific questions, and give a closing statement. So, without further ado, let's start.

Specific Questions -

To Former Ambassador Haley -

1. Will you push for a plan to repeal and replace Obamacare and if so, what would that plan contain?

2. Democratic Super PACs, seemingly worried about having to fight the General Election against you, have already released hundreds of ads airing in swing states right now, claiming that you are so hawkish that you would invade Palestine, North Korea and Syria, leading to more never-ending wars. What is your response?

To Mr. Lindell -

1. Is it true that in 2020 you have paid for the bailout of Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse and if so, why would you do that?

2. Given how relentlessly you have attacked Ambassador Haley in the past few weeks, will you still endorse her if she is the Republican nominee?

To Mr. Trump Jr. -

1. Polling seems to suggest that many supporters of former President Trump are starting to give a closer look to Mike Lindell and his campaign. Why are you a better candidate to win the General Election and then to govern?

2. Do you plan to release a list of potential Supreme Court nominees, especially given the current vacancy that Mitch McConnell has stopped any negotiation about after the Hunter Biden scandal?

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Turn 5 - October 2023

Republican polls -

Fmr. Ambassador Haley - 51.5%

Mr. Lindell - 48.5%

November 2023 election polls -

Vermont Senate Special election - Scott (R) - 49%, Holcombe (D) - 49%
Kentucky Gubernatorial election - Beshear (D) - 48%, Adams (R) - 48%
Louisiana Gubernatorial election - Landry (R) - 49%, Williams (D) - 49%
Mississippi Gubernatorial election - Reeves (R) - 56%, Espy (D) - 43%

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TOWN HALL WITH PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE SHERROD BROWN

Question - What is your opinion about the scandal surrounding Joe and Hunter Biden? Do you believe that Biden should resign or that the Republicans have overreacted by focusing the entire Congressional activity on the investigation?

Brown - It's definitely a cause for concern and should be investigated to the fullest extent. We can't simply give a pass to someone because they're on our side or in our party. In fact, then it is even more vital that we hold people to account. What happened with the Biden scandal is definitely worthy of an investigation and any needed follow ups.

My issues with this is, as you said, Republicans have halted nearly all Congressional activity to focus on this one issue. The approval rating of Congress has been in the doldrums for over twenty years now because of things like this. By all means, this should be investigated, but not at the expense of other necessary Congressional work, because at that point you run the risk of falling into a partisan trap.

Question - What would be your 3 biggest priorities as President?

Brown - I'm from the working class of this nation, and my priorities reflect that. The first thing that needs to be done is creating a living wage; $15 an hour minimum for everyone regardless of occupation. As it is, if the minimum wage had been tied to inflation in the 1960s, it would be over $20 an hour by now. We cannot expect people to live on the borderling starvation wages that they are right now. We had record numbers of people turn to food banks during the COVID-19 Pandemic because they were laid off and between rent, bills and education, had no money to buy food. We cannot let a situation like that happen again. Moreover, a high minimum wage encourages more spending, which will boost the economy immeasurably. We can introduce tax breaks for small businesses who would otherwise struggle to stay open under a $15 wage.

Second, we must repeal the labor-killing Taft-Hartley Act. This is a bill that has allowed the right wing of this country to systematically crush organised labor all across the United States and prevent workers from organising for their rights. You know that in the Nordic countries, the labor unions are so strong they don't need to mandate a minimum wage? Thanks to unions, we have child labor laws, overtime pay, OSHA legislation, and more. Taft-Hartley has given free reign to union-busting Republicans and thier big business buddies to crack down on workers. It must be repealed without delay.

Third, we need to revive American manufacturing. There is no better way of doing this than a nationwide infrastructure program sourcing materials from America manufacturers. My Rebuild America Plan will revolutionise our energy grid and trasnportation system by speeding up our transition to renewable energy and modernising public transit across the country.

As an additional benefit of investing in our long-neglected public transport system, we will also cut down on carbon emissions and help fight climate change. Republicans like to try and force a dichotomy on this. Either it's the economy or it's the environment. The fact is that Republicans' refusal to embrace renewable energy is actively harming the economy, so in the end it's a false choice. Revolutionising our energy and trasport systems to be cleaner and greener will create hundreds and thousands of new jobs and cut our carbon emissions drastically.

Question - Given that you are a Senator, do you have a plan to pass a progressive agenda through a Senate led by Mitch McConnell?

Brown - I believe there are Republicans we are capable of working with. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney all spring to mind. My friend Rob Portman is also open to working across the aisle. We can provide several states with benefits from our infrastructure programs and small business tax breaks, which will increase pressure on Republicans to at least partiall support what we're doing.

In the end, we must continue push our arguments on infrastructure and the minimum wage, because both are proven winners with the public, who will in turn put pressure on their Senators to support parts of our agenda.

Question - The chances of a Democratic victory in 2024 have lowered after the Biden scandal. What is your path to 270 against both Nikki Haley and Mike Lindell?

Brown -  I don't want to get into this sort of speculation too early. Not a single vote has been cast for President in 2024 yet, and a lot can change over such a long campaign cycle. We all thought Hillary would win easily in 2016. Few predicted COVID-19 wreaking havoc on the world in 2020 and part of 2021.

However, the Democratic path to the White House rests on winning over working class voters of all colors and creeds. We have a Democratic Party to speak up for the poor and the less fortunate. They support our plans on the minimum wage, on taxing Wall Street and on supporting unions and police reform. We have for too long capitulated on this front to Republicans. No more.

Question - Some Republican PACs have started airing attack ads in swing states against you. A lot of them seek to convince Americans that you are similar in beliefs with Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and that you would let the Squad dictate government policies. What is your response?

Brown - I have immense repsect for Alexandria and her other associates, such as Ayanna Pressley and Jamaal Bowman. They're all strong progressives who represent a younger generation that's fed up with politics as usual and wants to make the government work for us again. The idea that they're a dangerous group of radicals only comes up if you happen to believe that raising the minimum wage, investing in renewable energy, reducing our military budget, policing Wall Street, rebuilding our infrastructure and supporting workers is dangerous. I do not believe that for a second.

Moreover, I am disturbed at the nature of which some of these members of Congress have been targeted over the years. Alexandria has received enough death threats over the years to warrant a larger decurity detail that most members of Congress. The fact remains that some Republicans have an odd obsession with a 32 year old Congresswoman. It's actually somewhat amusing to watch her get under their skin by merely existing.

My stands on my policies are my own, and they have been forged from my upbringing in the working class of the United States. It is ludicrous to think that anyone will dictate policy to me, especially when this is coming from a party that has policies dictated to it by the oil industry and Wall Street.

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OOC - Given that no one has objected to skipping 2 months and move to January, we will do so. It has taken a really long time to get to the action.

PRESIDENTIAL RACE ANALYSIS WITH WOLF BLITZER

Blitzer - Good evening, and welcome to the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. We are counting down to the final days before the Republican primaries truly begin. Either former Ambassador Nikki Haley or Businessman Mike Lindell will confront Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown in November. And right now, what many call the battle for the soul of the GOP seems to be at a dead heat.

Republican polls -

Nikki Haley - 50.2%

Mike Lindell - 49.8%

So, Lindell and Haley are right now exactly tied in the national polls. This race has been truly wild, as only a few months ago it appeared as if Mike Pence was going to be the nominee. We will see whether the party fully embraces Trumpism with Mike Lindell or they return to their roots with Nikki Haley. For now, we shall see how the race is going in the crucial early states.

Iowa Republican polls -

Mike Lindell - 62.8%

Nikki Haley - 37.2%

These are quite incredible numbers we are receiving out of Iowa, where Mike Lindell from the neighboring state of Minnesota is winning by huge margins according to the polls. We still do not know how reliable the polling is this year but Iowa seems to like Mike.

NH Republican polls -

Mike Lindell - 53.8%

Nikki Haley - 46.2%

The race in New Hampshire is closer, but Lindell still seems to have an advantage in the Granite State as well. Blue collar support really helps him, but it is by no means over for Haley here.

Nevada Republican polls -

Nikki Haley - 51.3%

Mike Lindell - 48.7%

Nevada is the closest early state, and it is still unclear as to who whether the support of Latinos for Haley will beat the rural mobilization for Lindell. The former Ambassador probably needs a win here if she loses Iowa and New Hampshire in order to stand a chance to win the nomination.

South Carolina Republican polls -

Nikki Haley - 66.2%

Mike Lindell - 33.8%

While the rest of the South is probably closer, Haley is winning her home state of South Carolina by landslide margins, according to the polls. She will likely get all 50 delegates from here, giving her a small delegate advantage into Super Tuesday regardless of what happens in the other 3 states.

OOC - The turn for January 2024 begins, good luck everyone!

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CNN PROJECTS - LINDELL WON IOWA
Blitzer - 100% of the vote is in, and we now have the final results from the Iowa Republican Caucus.

Iowa Republican Caucus -

Mike Lindell - 59.6% - 25 delegates

Nikki Haley - 40.4% - 15 delegates

This confirms our projection that Lindell will win in Iowa, which we have made when the polls closed. Lindell has also won 95 out of the 99 counties Iowa has, most of them being rural, evangelical, and voting for Lindell by massive margins. Haley has actually managed to win in Polk and Linn by very narrow margins, but that was not able to save her tonight. However, she overperformed the January polls by a few points, which many link to Trump Jr. being chosen as her running mate. Still, this is a big victory for Mike Lindell, a businessman who started with virtually no chance at the beginning of the campaign.

Thank you for watching, and please tune in next week to find out who won the New Hampshire primary, which has been a much closer contest.