Four days before the biennial Whangamomona Republic day in Whangamomona, /u/silicon_based_life goes to the town to discuss his support for republics and other local policies. A member of his campaign team recorded some of the conversation, later uploaded to the TOP website.

At the Whangamomona Hotel, /u/silicon_based_life is having a whiskey with the locals and speaking about his personal political beliefs.

silicon: "All my life, I have believed in constitutional independence for New Zealand. That may come in many forms... a republic is, of course, one. The Whangamomona Republic movement is naturally a partially satirical one, but it also highlights, in a microcosm, why independence movements occur. The distant and unappreciative central government, ignoring the concerns of locals, arbitrarily moved the town into a region it didn't identify with. And thus, the Whangamomona Republic was born. Now, in New Zealand, we have a distant institution on a country across the other side of the world that still holds constitutional sway of our locally elected officials. I suspect both the National candidate and the New Zealand First candidate for Whanganui still wish New Zealand to remain part of this outdated institution they call a "monarchy", but I do not. New Zealand needs to exert it's independence on the world stage and ditch the unnecessary and unegalitarian concept that a single, unelected ruler should have sway over our country. Some of my party may disagree, but, of course, I also agree with polite disagreement. Makes for an interesting life..."

Some time later.

silicon: "... and in my time as Minister for Primary Industries, I helped implement a scheme for farmers to trade nitrate pollution credits so that we could start cleaning up our rural waterways. This is a beautiful country and a beautiful region, and we all need to work together to clean it up and make it viable to live and relax in again. I'm sure everyone can relate to wanting their children to be able to swim in a stream with no shit in it - I hope they weren't recording that part! ..."

A short time later

silicon: "... yes I've always found it funny that Whangamomona elected a female president before the United States did... I think there's many lessons we could learn from the States about how not to do things in our own republic, you know..."

A short time later.

silicon: "... yes, oil has always been a key industry in this area. I am pleased to support it and the livelihood of people in the region. Some things we do have to compromise on in the quest for environmental purity and conservation. We can't afford to forget the human."

"If you all elect me, which you might, I can never be sure, I'll follow my principles and knowledge of the electorate. I'm a local. I know these forests and these hills. I know Ohura. Who can say that they know Ohura? Not many people, that's for sure. I may have left for a while, but I'm trying to make it up. Believe me or not. Just thank you for hearing me out."

Later, silicon_based_life was recorded leaving the hotel and walking to his hybrid car for the drive to New Plymouth.

"An immensely fun town. Sad to go through it so soon, but places to be... perhaps I'll spend election eve here, celebrating republicanism! Could be fun. I wonder if they'll let me vote..."