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I'm trying to keep straight who is running for POTUS this week - so many candidates, so little time! Since it looks like there have been at least one or two new announcement in the last day or so, I'm going to crib from various articles and update a (hopefully) complete list.

The accelerated campaign season (because of the attempt to get a unity candidate to block Hannibal LA / AFA) means that most candidates don't have a fully developed cabinet or platform. This is also one of the first election cycles in several months where no candidate is a former CP.

A few observations:

Pfeiffer: Clearly the most experienced candidate in this election, Pfeiffer is also the most polarizing legitimate candidate (excluding Hannibal). Pfeiffer has held virtually every other role in the eUS - from branch CO, to Speaker of the House, Chief of Staff and various other positions of trust and responsibility. At the same time, he's been involved in a number of controversial events (chief among them the split between the government and the JCSF) and is credited with a personality often described as abrasive.

Pfeiffer has run for President several times before, but a number of factors play in his favor: (1) he's been somewhat out of the limelight the last few months, particularly when he focused on politics in another eRepublik-like game. (2) Some of the most recent presidents have been stalwart oldsters, but haven't panned out quite the way the voters expected. (3) Memories fade. While Pfeiffer has run for president multiple times before, including last month, it's been quite awhile since his last serious campaign. He came close to winning last month basically by accident, perhaps convincing him to strike while the iron is hot. Is this his magic month? Maybe. His manic work ethic and encyclopedic knowledge of eRepublik, as well as his long history in government, make him a very serious candidate this cycle.

Largo: To some extent a political unknown, Largo is a Marine and supertank of long-standing. He's had 13 terms in Congress (a respectable number and far more than me), and served one term as Speaker of the House. While his Speaker term has been described as lacking and he doesn't benefit from a great deal of executive experience, it's a safe bet that Largo brings the support of the JCSF and many European transplants to this election.

While some JCSF candidates might find themselves the target of the "political elite", Largo has eased into the good graces of the oldhands by participating genially in executive discussions throughout most of the summer. He also has the important advantage of being the only candidate to clearly outline a full slate of positions and propose a more-or-less complete executive cabinet.

For those looking for an outsider candidate, and one that can be supported by the many EDEN / Terra supporters with U.S. citizenship, Largo may be your guy. For that reason, Largo is a serious candidate this cycle.


Potato134: Affectionately known as Tater (and sometimes Tater Tot), Potato134 is undoubtedly most famous for being the guy who paid Canadian Congressman Code-Y 50k to propose a Natural Enemy law. This led to a response proposal from the U.S. Congress which passed, beginning the CanAmerica War of 2012. Less known is that Potato134, who was National Security Director at the time, had executive approval for this action.

Other than his terms in the National Security office, Tater has served one term as Party President of the American Military Party and several terms in Congress. This is his second run for president of the eUS.

His colorful articles and outside-the-lines foreign policy proposals (he proposed the "Potato Alliance" and has relentlessly pushed for a new war against Canada) make him a wild card candidate in this cycle.

Kutluk: In the past few weeks we've seen a renewed effort by the INCI to exert influence over events in the eUSA. Starting in the summer, the Department of Defense has tried to bring the OWLS military unit into tune with the rest of the United States Armed Forces on various policies including communes, orders, and use of funding. Failing to come to an ideal solution, a decision was made to reduce OWLS funding.

In response, leaders of the INCI party and military unit issued several warnings and ultimatums. They demanded the return of funding, and an increase, or they would take steps such as gaining as many Congress seats as they could, selling citizenship to the highest bidder, and fighting in whatever battles they choose. Restored funding, it should be noted, would make Congress seats and battle priorities negotiable; the INCI have stated that they will only stop selling citizenship if we pay them per cit approval at the "market rate."

Kutluk's run for POTUS, an unprecedented step for INCI, seems to be part of a coordinated effort by INCI to gain power and influence in the eUS. It is doubtful that Kutluk will draw much support outside of the party, but the effect of INCI voters splitting off from other candidates is hard to predict. It will be interesting to see if this results in a spoiler effect; one wonders at the reception INCI might receive in future election cycles if Kutluk's candidacy leads to a Hannibal LA term as country president.

Hannibal: By focusing his spite on John Largo, Hannibal LA seems to acknowledge the fact that he has limited chances to win this month. As the "PTO candidate" being supported by Ajay Bruno and the American Freedom Alliance party, Hannibal is the choice of Serbians, Romanians and other groups who aim to take over the government of the eUS.


First few awesome images stolen shamelessly from the Drudge Report:

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Articles:
Pfeiffer writes: Live Deliberately, America
Fingerguns writes: How may I service you, America?

Party: United States Workers Party

Key platform:

* In favor of dropping bonuses to reduce population (see here)
* JCSF / USAF reconciliation
* In favor of CTRL (as long as Poland doesn't renew MPP with Hungary)

Key staff:

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Party: American Military Party

Articles:

John Largo writes: Everybody Loves Largo
John Largo writes: Largo is Legit

Key platform:

* In favor of CTRL
* Going to establish "separate departments" for the USAF and JCSF inside the cabinet - does that mean he will make the JCSF official again?
* Lower taxes to offset bonus loss
* Supports giving up bonuses

Key staff:

VP: Runner up in the unity primary
Chief of Staff: Unnamed person from JCSF
NSC Director: John Jay
Secretary of Defense: Maxx Johnson

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Articles:

Tater writes: A potato for CP
Tater writes: The pursuit of happiness

Party:American Military Party

Key platform:

* War with Canada
* Against losing bonuses / wants to recover all regions
* Stay in CTRL

Key staff:

* VP: Cromstar
No other staff announced

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Articles:

LeperMessiah writes: Kutluk for a Better Amerinci

Party: SOUTH CAROLINA ULKU OCAKLARI

Key platform:

* Against losing bonuses?
* For CTRL / fixing old alliance relationships
* No other platform positions announced

Key staff

* No staff announced

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Articles:

Hanibal writes: Hanibal LA for POTUS
Hanibal writes: "Support Largo and Kill Yourself America"

Party: American Freedom Alliance

Key platform:

* Against CTRL
* Against bonuses / wants to recapture colony regions

Key staff:

No staff announced.

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