CHICAGO - This November will bring two major votes that will shape the country's future to come. One is the Midwestern states' referendums on their future in Columbia, and the other is the midterms that will pit the Columbian Liberal Party against the Midwestern National Conservative Party for control of the country's center-right wing politics.

The referendums, originally scheduled for 2058, were moved up with the consent of the governors after mass support for continuing in the union with Columbia. The options of the referendum are to either vote for independence, a continuation of territory status, or full statehood. Given the population of the states and their historic autonomy under the constitution of the Midwest, there have been some discussions in the works to allow the states to continue with the autonomy that territory status has afforded them while also allowing them the full congressional representation granted under full statehood. This agreement would likely bolster support for remaining in the union, though the constitutionality of it has been questioned by some.

Preliminary Polling:

With the exception of Missouri, home of the most successful independence movement by far, independence seems unlikely. However, the matter of giving up autonomy for representation is a much more heated debate across these states. Thus, then, is the importance in securing a deal where both can be delivered. It guarantees full integration while all but killing the independence movements.

Meanwhile, the so-called 'Race for the Right' between the Chicago-based National Conservative Party and Columbia City-based Liberal Party has been heating up the parties campaign nationwide. The Liberals, long considered Columbia's right-wing party, have proven too centrist for many Midwesterners, who opted to vote instead for their own NCP. Being a true conservative party, they have begun to win the support of Columbians tired of a Liberal Party that has proven too centrist. They have won support across most of rural Columbia, especially in the prairie and mountain states, but remain unpopular in suburban areas, which remain the Liberals' last stronghold.

Points of contention between the two parties include downsizing the government versus preventing further expansion, interventionalism as opposed to isolationism, and the place of God in government.

National Midterm Poll

The NCP is taking an advantage over the Liberals, up 3% from polls this time last month. The significance of the race cannot be understated for conservative politics in the USC. Whichever of the two parties takes precedence over the other will take the upper ground in the eventual negotiations to merge them. A merger of the two parties will be a necessary step towards providing a real, conservative alternative to the dominant left-wing Union Party.

Both of these crucial votes will be on the same ballot come November 3.