2018 New England Presidential Election (Divided States of America)

The 2018 New England Presidential Election was the 3rd quadrennial presidential election in the Commonwealth of New England, held on November 5, 2018. In an electoral upset, the Conservative ticket of Plymouth Governor Charlie Baker and Vermont Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott defeated incumbent Progressive President Bernie Sanders in his bid for a third term by a margin of 1%.

Issues in the election mainly centered around foreign policy, specifically New England's relationship with its neighbors (New York, Quebec, the Maritimes), involving trade and diplomacy. President Sanders mainly campaigned around his domestic policies, slandering Baker as an extremist who wanted to curb the nation's generous social welfare programs. Baker, who himself supported the systems, attacked Sanders as a radical who wanted to raise taxes even further (though New England's tax rate was already rather high compared to its neighbors)

Sanders suffered from questions regarding his age, and his praise of past dictators, along with an unpopular trade agreement he signed with New York that was considered unfair to New England. On election day, Baker prevailed in the popular vote, squeaking past Sanders with around 120,000 more votes. He also carried a majority of states, carrying Plymouth, Massachusetts, Aroostook, New Hampshire, and Hancock.

Sanders meanwhile carried four states (Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island) plus the Boston Metropolitan District. Baker rode a "blue wave" which gave the Conservatives a small majority in the unicameral Assembly of the Commonwealth, however the Progressives held out in their strongholds (Vermont, BMD, Rhode Island), especially in state assemblies, where they even gained control of the Plymouth Assembly.

Background
Following the establishment of the Commonwealth of New England in 2009, the first presidential election was slated for 2010. Bernard Sanders, formerly the Representative of Vermont in the US House before the Collapse, ran for and won the presidency unopposed. In 2014, the popular Sanders ran for re-election and won in a landslide, defeating Conservative nominee Susan Collins of Aroostook.

Due to the New England Charter not having term limits, presidents can run for as many terms as they please. A referendum in 2015 confirmed that a narrow 49% of voters supported establishing term limits, while 51% did not.

Campaign
The campaign was the most competitive in New England's short history, and also the dirtiest, with mudslinging on both sides. Baker campaigned on lowering taxes slightly, and strengthening the Commonwealth Armed Forces (CAF). He also campaigned on a more "New England First" foreign policy, and canceling the unpopular NENY Trade Agreement.