Senator Fitzgerald Loses Re-election Bid
Cambrielle, Ralltiir — Eli Fitzgerald has lost his bid to remain the Senator of Ralltiir, garnering 46.9% of the vote to his opponent's 51.3%. Ab'el Bogen, himself a former Senator, will replace Mr. Fitzgerald this week. The result of the election is widely seen as a vote in support of the Bastion Accords (also known as the "Pellaeon/Gavrisom Treaty"), which ended the war with the Imperial Remnant—Senator Fitzgerald is a noted opponent of the treaty, which is popular on Ralltiir and throughout much of the New Republic. Mr. Bogen supported it. "The race is over," Bogen announced to his supporters, "and tonight the people of Ralltiir have decided that the war is over, too. They have decided that it's time to move on; that Ralltiir's best days are ahead of it, not behind it. They have decided that we must remember the past, but we must also look to the future—a future of prosperity and of peace for this planet and for the galaxy." Senator Fitzgerald congratulated Bogen on his victory, and thanked his supporters in a statement. He declined to comment to The Coruscant Journal.
The peace treaty was the most contentious issue of the campaign, since Mr. Fitzgerald's and Mr. Bogen's opinions were broadly similar on most other issues. In an address to the Senate last night, Fitzgerald defended his opposition to the treaty. "As a Senator and a man of Ralltiir, I feel that I must do [whatever] I can to prevent the fate of Ralltiir from being visited upon other worlds," he said, referring to the Empire's subjugation of the planet early in the Galactic Civil War, "I will not be 'pragmatic' and change what I believe because it would be to my political benefit. This is a quality that, I hope, the people of Ralltiir will appreciate."
He also emphasized his accomplishments in the Senate, and measures he has proposed to benefit the planet, its banks, and its defense. Despite this, 71% of voters—particularly those who voted for Mr. Bogen—cited the Bastion Accords as "a deciding factor" in their choice. Several other Senators have also seen a pronounced decline in their poll numbers because of their opposition to the peace treaty; among them, Senator Carson (Kuat) and even Senator Emerest (Coruscant), who has served in three Senates in as many decades.
The election of Mr. Bogen will likely give further momentum to Chief of State Ponc Gavrisom, who signed the peace treaty and is seeking, this month, to advance his "Peace First" agenda. The Chief of State already enjoyed a significant victory last week, when the Senate overwhelmingly rejected a motion to repeal the Bastion Accords and resume war with the Remnant. The vote appeared to marginalize many of the Senators who oppose Gavrisom and his treaty—such as Mr. Fitzgerald.
Eli "Airstrike" Fitzgerald has been known, throughout his career, as a conservative and a firm opponent of the Empire and, later, the Imperial Remnant. A prolific Senator, he has championed measures to cut taxes, streamline bureaucracy, and promote business and trade. He is best known for expanding holonet access on the Outer Rim, privatizing the New Republic Bank, and establishing a Strategic Bacta Reserve at Centax-1, a moon of Coruscant, in response to shortages during the Bacta War. In 11 ABY, he served briefly as acting Chief of State while Leia Organa-Solo was on maternity leave.
In his address to the Senate last night, Fitzgerald gave thanks "... to the Senate, and my colleagues, for the years it has been my privilege to serve here, to work with you, and to make a difference for the people of Ralltiir and, indeed, the people of the Republic." He added that "serving in the Senate has been the second most fulfilling experience of my life, after raising my daughter, Jena, on a Ralltiir that has grown around her as she, herself, has grown... We have done much to make the galaxy a better place for our children, but I believe there is much more than can—and must—be done."
This is a task that now falls to Senator Ab'el Bogen.
