The Pittsburgh Mayor's Office, late at night.
Leo sat in his chair, the latest polling data spread across his desk.
In the Philadelphia Suburbs, Murphy's approval rating had indeed risen.
But in the vast rural areas of Western and Central Pennsylvania—the so-called "wastelands"—Murphy's numbers were falling.
Warren's counterattack was too sharp.
A deep sense of defeat washed over Leo.
Back in Washington, he'd once thought he had finally mastered the game.
He had chosen to ignore Roosevelt's warning.
He had been too eager to go on the offensive.
As a result, he had walked right into a quagmire.
Now, not only had Murphy failed to become the "hero of the workers," he was being painted as a "job killer."
This was supposed to be their core message, the very foundation they stood on, but now their opponent had seized control of the narrative.
'Did I screw this up?'
Leo asked himself, his voice raspy in his mind.
"It's not your fault, Leo."
