Election Day

**"Election Day"** is the seventh and final episode of the second season of The Politician.

## Summary

With the senate race up for grabs, Payton and Dede prepare for an unconventional showdown, but a last minute decision suddenly changes everything.

## Plot

**SPOILERS AHEAD**
 Hundreds of miles away from the election chaos in upstate New York, Astrid and Alice are seeking refuge at a farm for expectant moms. It’s very much not their scene, but it pushes Astrid to confront the reality that she doesn’t want to be a mom. The pair depart the farm after a very brief stay and Alice accompanies Astrid to terminate the pregnancy. Alice confides that she is still worried about being a good mother, but isn’t so sure she wants to have a child without Payton.
Payton and Dede are honing in on their respective rock paper scissors strategies, which is going decidedly better for Payton than Dede. Giving up, Dede and Hadassah go to drown their sorrows at the cabaret club Payton’s performing at. At peace with themselves this late in the competition, Dede and Payton have a cordial chat about his ideal first 100 days plan and he serenades the pair with “Corner in the Sky” from Pippin.

The definitive election day arrives and Payton’s performance has left a mark on Dede, who takes the mic before the best-of-five rock paper scissors match can begin. Giving an impassioned speech about the issues that matter to young people, Dede concedes the election to Payton. Soon after, Alice and Payton reconcile, with the latter promising that his dreams won’t be the center of their lives anymore.

Meanwhile, California Governor-Elect Georgina Hobart calls the newly retired Dede with a proposal: Georgina is planning to run for president in the next cycle and wants Dede to be her running mate, setting up Dede to run for president after Georgina’s single term in office.
Payton prepares to give a formal acceptance speech but is unable to acknowledge his true victory, as his opponent dropped out... again. McAfee reveals that she, James, and Skye couldn’t help themselves and counted the ballots from the stolen box and discovered Payton’s victory over Dede is legitimate. The news of his genuine win prompts him to give his most authentic speech of the series, challenging his constituents to hold him accountable to his promises.

The epilogue picks up two years later as Payton finishes his successful first term as a state senator. McAfee is now engaged and Alice just completed her first board exam in medical school. But as Payton, running unopposed for a second term, toasts to another victory, his trusted staff can’t help but feel a little disappointed he is not announcing his next ambitious campaign.

While running through Central Park, Hadassah sequesters Payton to a quiet spot where Dede, who is set to become vice president in Georgina’s administration, is waiting for him. Dede comes to him with an offer: she is planning to run for president after Georgina’s single term and wants Payton to be her running mate.

## Cast

### Main

* Ben Platt as Payton Hobart
* Judith Light as Dede Standish
* Lucy Boynton as Astrid Sloan
* Zoey Deutch as Infinity Jackson
* Julia Schlaepfer as Alice Charles
* Laura Dreyfuss as McAfee Westbrook
* Theo Germaine as James Sullivan
* Rahne Jones as Skye Leighton
* Bette Midler as Hadassah Gold
* Gwyneth Paltrow as Georgina Hobart

### Guest

* David Corenswet as River Barkley
* Ryan J. Haddad as Andrew Cashman
* Daryl Edwards as J. Tank Brown

## Trivia

* The episode ends with a cliffhanger as he doesn't answer Dede.