CRT for HOTD: Ranking the Primary Candidates in the 'House of the Dragon' Midterms
On episode four of season three, "House of the Dragons" laid out the players vying for the Iron Throne, but how will the candidates make the Seven Kingdoms great again?
As the Seven Kingdoms gears up for what the Westeros Post calls “the most consequential primaries since the days of the First Men,” many people are still contemplating their decisions.
Still, if you squint, it looks exactly like a midterm: an unpopular incumbent nobody quite trusts, a base more energized by grievance than actual policy, and a challenger everyone agrees is “more qualified” but who somehow still can’t close the deal. The billionaire oligarchs are trying to influence the outcome of the election. The smallfolk are facing a recession, and the voters in the Driftwood are concerned about gerrymandering.
But if you are still trying to decide which candidate best fits your political agenda, ContrabandCamp’s election team is here to help.
Here are the candidates running for the Iron Throne in the Seven Kingdoms’ primaries.
Black Party
1. Rhaenyra “Hillary” Targaryen
Campaign slogan: “I’m with her (dragons).”
Campaign platform: While Rhaenyra’s claim to the Iron Throne is based on her status as the oldest trueborn child of King Viserys I Targaryen, she has campaigned on a populist message to the smallfolk that includes
Economic policy: Her Westeros Rescue Plan would fight income inequality and cure the budget deficit by taxing the rich.
Foreign policy: Rhaenyra would focus on “peace through strength” by developing a new generation of pilots at Dragonriders Equity Institute (DEI).
Domestic Policy: Taxing the rich; reparations.
Experience: Although she interned as a cupbearer during her father’s administration, most of Rhaenyra’s experience comes from a brief stint as junior adviser on her father’s Small Council. She also served one tumultuous term as governor of Dragonstone.
Why she could win: Her list of high-profile endorsers includes establishment party leaders like former President Viserys I Targaryen, Driftmark Gov. Corlys Velaryon and Maester Orwyle “Cory” Booker. While support for reparations is low among the most powerful houses of the Seven Kingdoms, recent polls show that 73.3% of voters who identify as “smallfolk” support her commitment to fighting income inequality by taxing the rich.
She also has a bunch of dragons.
Why she could lose: Although she has enjoyed the support of the Black Party’s establishment leaders, her appointment of Democratic Socialist Mysaria Mamdani has alienated many of her corporate donors. Her campaign has also received criticism for using the gold cloaks to attack peaceful protesters in the inner city. Economic analysts point to a recent report from the Master of Coins, noting that an impending recession could override many voters' concerns.
Also, she’s a girl.
