Here's How Payton & Dede's Ruthless Senate Election Ends In 'The Politician' Season 2

Spoilers ahead for The Politician Season 2. After a ruthless race for New York State Senate that dominates The Politician Season 2, Payton does ultimately win the election. But it's by a razor thin margin.

Initially, the election ends with Dede and Payton deadlocked at 45,626 votes apiece. The state election board forms them that they have two options: have everyone re-vote in 10 days, or leave it to a coin toss or similar game of chance. The tiebreaker that Dede's and Payton's camps decide on (thanks to Hadassah's frantic Google search): a game of Roshambo, aka Rock, Paper, Scissors. Really.

Just before they're about to play, however, Dede concedes to Payton, acknowledging that her near-failure stemmed from young people voting in "larger numbers than ever before." They were angry about income inequality, wage stagnation, cost of housing, and climate change, she noted, and Payton was they candidate who inspired them and finally made them feel heard. So she graciously passed the torch.

It's a hollow victory for Payton, but it turns out that he did actually win on his own terms. Infinity took it upon herself to steal a ballot box that she believed contained a majority of votes for Dede, dressing as a mime to stage "Operation Steal Our Planet From the Boomers Who Are Trying to Kill It" at the "polling place with highest percentage of old voters." Despite vowing not to look at them, James, Skye, and McAfee later count the ballots and find that 23 more of the seniors cast votes for Payton than Dede.

Considering the election was already a done deal, it doesn't change much, but it is a nice confidence boost for Payton, who previously won against Astrid on a technicality in Season 1. And once again, it sets into motion yet another election. Despite the mudslinging, "throuple" accusations, and blackmail, it seems Payton and Dede may be on the same team in the not-so-distant future. After she finishes her Vice President term under Payton's mom, Dede said she wants him to run as her VP.