2032 US Presidential Election (Populist America)

Independent Candidates

 * Charles Patrick Edwards, 48th President of the United States

Democratic Party

 * Charles Patrick Edwards, 48th President of the United States
 * Beau Biden, U.S. Senator from Delaware
 * Chelsea Clinton, U.S. Senator from New York
 * Patrick Murphy, U.S. Speaker of the House from Pennsylvania

Republican Party

 * Brian Dreager, Governor of Connecticut
 * Sarah Palin, 46th President of the United States
 * Cory Shears, U.S. Representative from Washington
 * Kirk Cameron, U.S. Representative from California Ret.

Libertarian Party

 * Mary Cheney, Senator from Virginia
 * Nathan Khosla, CEO of The Nathan Khosla Foundation

The Flood War
Easily the most pressing issue of the campaign, the Flood War dominated the debate for all but two months where the Refugee Crisis was at its peak, and when the Second Bill of Rights was facing its final hurdle in the Illinois state convention. Few could deny the necessity for going to war with the Chinese, any candidates that suggested otherwise after the US counter attack during the Battle of Japan, were quickly out voted. The only real points of contention over the war was on the issues of Turkey and the use of nuclear weapons.

President Edwards argued, albeit rarely and carefully, that once China was defeated that Turkey had to take priority, and that the war would not be over until the Pan-Asian Allies were defeated in their entirety. On this issue the President and Governor Dreager completely agreed, where Senator Cheney argued that America's real fight was with China and once it had capitulated the Caliphate would sue for peace. As for the Nuclear issue, this is where the President in many ways stood alone. President Edwards absolutely refused to use nuclear weapons to end the war, unless the US was itself was under a nuclear attack. Governor Dreager argued that China should be made into a "radioactive wasteland," for the Thanksgiving Day Attacks, and even Senator Cheney said she believed that a nuclear strike on Beijing would be the quickest way to end the war. President Edwards would not compromise on this at all, stating famously, "if we we're to use nuclear weapons to end this conflict, what victory would there be but one over our sense of reason and conscious."

The Second Bill of Rights
The 2nd bill of rights was arguably the most progressive piece of legislation ever made by the US government, and in October of 2032 it had taken center stage in the campaign, as it reached the deciding vote in the Illinois state convention. The amendments were the first to ever go through a series of state conventions rather than state legislatures, this was largely due to keep corporate interests from being able to obstruct the amendments from passage. By October the amendments were bogged down in the Illinois state convention as former President Obama and other liberals debated with corporate lobbyists and conservative opposition leaders. President Edwards, the Bill's chief author, argued that to ensure lasting economic justice and prevent another depression on the scale of the one they were currently in, the SBR would be essential. Both opposition candidates were completely opposed to it, and it was easily the most divisive issue of the campaign. Many claim that what saved the SBR was the very corporate powers that sought to destroy it, framing their own opposition as the voice of big business. By the end of the month the bill had narrowly passed the Illinois state convention and became US law.