by Ben Fountain
First published 2026
The President prepares for his unprecedented third-term campaign after the Supreme Court clears his path. A mysterious weeping sickness may be spreading across America. Campaign strategists make an unusual recruitment decision: they bring in Rasputin, a mystical professional wrestler, to help secure victory. This Rasputin might be exactly who you think he is. The campaign attracts an eclectic group including a reporter who shares a name with a Supreme Court justice, a former teenage country music sensation, and the rebellious First Lady. As the election heats up, these unlikely allies discover their political ambitions colliding with forces beyond typical campaign control. Spandex becomes an unexpected uniform as the characters navigate a destiny that no presidential executive order can manage. The reality show format of The Real West Wing captures every twist as traditional political machinery meets supernatural intervention.
Genres: satire, supernatural, political-thriller, alternate-history
Vibes: satirical, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Potomac, America
Period: 21st-century
Kindle Edition · Canongate Books