Page 153 of Governor

Usually based on who grovels and brown-noses the best for them during the primary election cycle, cutting out anyone who supported one of their opponents.

Once again, Carter’s proven correct. Fuck merits—it’s nothing more than a goddamned popularity contest that’s more petty than my freshman year of high school. Mutual cock-jerking aplenty.

In our case, having Susannah Joleen Evans listed on the ballot with me is name recognition. Especially since we’re already running ads with Benchley endorsing his daughter’s running mate for governor.

It’s going to catch people by surprise in both parties, but by the time they realize what we’ve done, it’ll be too late for them to add their lieutenant governor pick for the primaries to make it on the ballot.

That was actually Benchley’s idea, and it’s genius.

I don’t know how Carter twisted Benchley’s arm to back us, and I don’t even care. It seems that, over the years, Carter and Benchley have forged a strong mutual working relationship centered around Susa and her political aspirations.

I’d say maybe Benchley’s brush with death mellowed him, but that’d be utter bullshit. All I know is there will be a lot of former and current GOP lawmakers and party leaders on our side for this primary, leaving a mad scramble among the ranks as the GOP candidates rip each other to bloody shreds trying to win their primary nomination.

We’ll be taking notes on how they attempt to wound each other, too. Both for points to hit the front-runner with during the general election, and to prepare for what subjects they might try to attack me on.

The rest of the pack will be focused on winning their party’s primary, at first, and not on me. There are two other Independent candidates, but neither are expected to garner more than a few thousand votes each. They’re not our competition. The candidates from the two major parties won’t be able to divide their efforts between winning their primary and attacking me at the same time. It will make people wonder why they’re so worried about me that they’re going after me this soon.

It’ll makethemlook bad, not me.

Ah, the double-edged sword of closed primaries.

Meanwhile, our ads will start out on the high-road, focusing on my history, on Susa’s, on our endorsement from Benchley, on our platform issues. Once we know who our final opponents will be and we see what tone their ads take will we start going dark and low.

By then, Benchley will have dug up enough dirt on them for his PACs to start running attack ads.

I’m sure there will be ratfucks aplenty.

All we have to do is be careful. It’s harder than I thought it’d be to pretend Susa and Carter are nothing more than good friends and adopted family. It’s hard not to want to reach out when we’re in public and hold their hands, or lay my head on their shoulders.

Touch them.

Unfortunately, it’s a skill I get used to, because I used to be pretty good at it while growing up.

* * * *

As June fades into July, the campaign shifts into a higher gear. Campaigning never gets easier for me, no matter how often I do it or what office it’s for.

Days turn into weeks as I leave free time behind and increasingly throw myself into this new aspect of my life. I’m still a state senator. Traveling back and forth from Tallahassee to Tampa, and then around to other parts of the state to campaign, is wearing on me.

All I have to do is see one of Susa’s encouraging smiles on our nightly FaceTime conversations when we can’t be together to remember why I’m doing this.

I’m doing it forHer.

Even Benchley’s grudgingly admitted Carter’s strategy is solid and will likely work. Every new set of polling numbers he and Carter dissect keep proving the bastard extraordinaire’s right.

Of course he is.

Doesn’t mean I enjoy doing this. It means I keep the bigger picture in mind.

It’s all forHer. I mean, yes, this is kind of what I wanted, but without Carter and Susa, I never would have done this. I likely never would have progressed past county commissioner. That had been a grind I wasn’t prepared for, all things considered. It was damned hard work. Sure, I could have phoned it in the way some of my fellows on the board were prone to do, but that’s not me.

I was getting paid by the citizens to do the job they elected me to, and I took it seriously.

Just like I take my role as a state senator seriously.

“Senator Taylor” is a very weary man right now, no matter what face I put forth to the public. I get to spend more time with Carter than I do Susa, but…

I’m tired.