New York State of Mind

**"New York State of Mind"** is the first episode and season premiere of the second season of The Politician.

## Summary

Frustrated with his polling numbers, Payton goes to Georgina for help as he weighs using his opponent's hush-hush love life to score political points.

## Plot

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

Payton is in the race for New York state senate, although he is losing by a longshot. It’s been three years since his infamous, scandal-ridden race for student body president, and after a bit of soul searching away from politics, Payton and his associates are back at it, looking to unseat longtime State Senator Dede Standish of New York’s 27th district. But right now things are pretty shaky for Payton, who is behind in the polling, and his team, whose years of infighting and back stabbing have added a contentious layer to the mix.

The campaign is sitting on a major bombshell — Dede and her husband Marcus are in a decade-long polyamorous relationship — but can’t agree on how to proceed with this potentially game changing news.

Astrid, now on Payton's campaign management team, doesn’t feel like part of the team at all, which Dede’s long standing campaign manager Hadassah Gold capitalizes on. Hadassah recruits Astrid to be her mole inside Payton’s campaign. Astrid briefly balks at the idea but is won over when the seasoned politico reopens old wounds from the St. Sebastian student body president race. As a mole, her first order of business is revealing that the Hobart campaign knows all about Dede’s secret throuple.

Dede and Hadassah’s plans run much larger than the New York state senate. Dede is in final negotiations to join rising star Texas Senator Tino McCutcheon’s (Sam Jaeger) upcoming presidential campaign as his running mate — and news of her throuple could derail it all. Hadassah gives Dede an ultimatum: stick with her and secure the VP nod or stay with William (Teddy Sears), the Standish’s partner. William briefly removes himself from the equation but is roped back into the mix by a remorseful Dede and Marcus.

Meanwhile, Payton's former classmate Andrew Cashman approaches the Hobart campaign with an offer to be their mole in the Standish campaign in exchange for a date with Infinity Jackson. The campaign quickly sinks into Nixon territory as Andrew plants bugs in Standish campaign headquarters and at Hadassah and Dede’s homes.

Meanwhile, Payton's mother Georgina is running for governor of California, thanks to her newfound passion for climate change. Never mind that climate change also happens to be Payton’s signature issue, Georgina is also infinitely more popular, upstaging his campaign from 3,000 miles away. Looking to reclaim his footing, Payton unsuccessfully attempts to persuade Georgina to drop out of her race.

After a viral appearance at the California gubernatorial debate, Georgina attracts the attention of Tino McCutcheon. Dede’s tightening race against Payton has Tino exploring his options and, after becoming acquainted with Georgina at a swanky Hollywood party hosted by her new film executive partner, he offers her the VP spot.

Unsure of what to do with his damning evidence, Payton turns inward. After a reflective conversation with himself and River (a part of his imagination) over what kind of person he is, Payton determines he is a winner and he must do whatever it takes to win. He arranges a secret meeting with Dede and Hadassah and unveils his ultimate win-win scenario: she drops out and endorses him and he won’t release the evidence of her throuple, freeing Dede up for her vice presidential candidacy. But while Payton is blackmailing Dede, Astrid leaks to Hadassah that Payton also has a well kept sex scandal: his threesome with Astrid and River.

## 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
* Jackie Hoffman as Sherry Dougal
* Joe Morton as Marcus Standish
* Teddy Sears as William Ward
* Sam Jaeger as Tino McCutcheon
* Trevor Eason as Martin Hobart
* Trey Eason as Luther Hobart
* Kelly Fulton as Alison