G. Sanchez: Week Nine
Prompt: Red or White
Warnings/Rating: G for all audiences
Word Count: 320
Summary: A discussion of the recent election.
"Which do you prefer for the victory party, red or white?" Assemblyman Kinte asked the Governor-elect.
"White. I don't want anything to suggest any connection to those RedNational garbage." replied Governor-elect Sanchez.
Many pundits had said the election to succeed Governor Adams would be a foregone conclusion and that Sanchez, Assembly speaker and the Governor's heir-apparent, would cruse to victory.
The pundits hadn't been wrong. Not entirely, at least. With old Delegate C.B. Jackson (considered by most to be the strongest opponent) near death and declining to run, Progress nominated Assemblyman Uthman bin-Fahd, an ambitious man, no doubt, but one without the charisma, connections, and individual wealth needed to pose a serious threat (and bin-Fahd was undermined by the informal alliance between the Whigs and Progress, much as Adams' had planned.)
Instead, the strongest challenge came from an unexpected source - the RDF. They had managed to recruit well, selecting respected police lieutenant Ruth Beare-Pitts; although a political neophyte, Ruth proved a natural, combining her charm, positive personal story (she was raised relatively poor by MRA standards by her adopted father, the town drunk), and financial resources to put together a solid campaign.
But in the end, the status quo prevailed. The power of the state and message of the True Whigs won out: after all, things were pretty good and Adams' had long-conditioned citizens to trust in and follow their leaders. The RDF warnings of repression largely fell on deaf ears given that it remained, so-far at least, more hypothetical than real.
However, some citizens were concerned with the concentration of power. After the death of Gen. Elijah Jackson, Governor Adams had appointed Lt. Col. Katniss Sanchez commanding general of the SNL and defense minister. Now, with her husband's victory to succeed Adams, the two most powerful people in the MRA resided in the same household. Political dynasties and family alliances were nothing new in the MRA, but still...