Battleground (2012)

The episode introduces the race for a Senate seat in Wisconsin. The campaign team for State Senator Deirdre Samuels, who is trailing in the primary polls at third place, led by Tak Davis try to get her opponents to appear in a debate with her.

Samuels moves up into second place in the polls but rumors of her being a lesbian are circulated by an anonymous attack ad and a planted question at a campaign event. The campaign team gears up for a straw poll event by stealing tickets from Senator Makers's campaign. Tak engineers a logistics change to ensure Samuels's speech at the straw poll event is well received.

Samuels's husband George insists on holding a press conference to dispel rumors of her lesbian affair, but Tak maneuvers reporters to stay away. KJ receives an offer to become campaign manager in a race in Ohio but decides to stay on. The campaign holds a phone-bank fundraiser to raise enough money to buy ad spots on Leno. Jordan makes his stand-up comedy debut which exceeds expectations. Ben and Lindsey's budding relationship grows while Tak's marriage breaks down.

Tak clashes with his team over a decision he makes when a surprising announcement from the Makers camp changes everything.

When Tak gets a hold of damaging information about Congresswoman Rudy's personal life, Samuels tells him not to release it to continue to run a clean campaign. Meanwhile, while chatting with the documentary crew, Cole stumbles onto a recording of Tak and KJ from the previous night.

The campaign must come up with a plan to fight misinformation being circulated by their opponents. Cole confronts KJ about their relationship.

The Samuels campaign is told about an endorsement from Sen. Makers. Cole quits as speechwriter, and Jordan must give a speech to local elementary school students. The team discovers that facing Governor Creighton won't be easy, as the lines between allies and enemies begins to blur.

Tak confronts George about financial misdealings, while KJ feels Cole's absence as she struggles to write a speech for Samuels. Ali causes some friction in Ben and Lindsey's relationship.

A break-in at campaign headquarters rattles the Samuels team, especially George. Tak must juggle his relationships with his father, his wife, and Cole, all while trying to plan a rally on a college campus.

A flashback to 2004 looks at the relationship between Tak and his father, as well as some other familiar faces, during the Makers re-election campaign. The episode's format is shot and edited as a spoof/homage to MTV's True Life, hosted by real-life former vee-jay Dave Holmes.

With the election a week away, the DNC sends in a representative to help the Samuels campaign, who clashes with Tak over its direction. The Creighton campaign announces a press conference that leaves Tak trying to figure out what it's about.

On Halloween, with only two days until the election, Cole opens up about his past, while Samuels must deal with the consequences of hers.

On Election Day the team hopes that a last-second endorsement from the President will be enough to bring them victory.