The Mayor Runs for Re-Election

Main Page

The Mayor Runs for Re-Election is the twenty-third episode of the third season and overall the sixty-fourth episode of Shining Time Station.

Plot

It's Election day at Shining Time Station, and Midge Smoot is adamant about re-electing Mayor Flopdinger for mayor, but Stacy isn't so sure about him. After an argument between the two women about it, Ms. Smoot storms off. Becky and Kara worry that Midge and Stacy are no longer friends, but Stacy assures them that a disagreement like this won't make them not friends. Besides there is one thing they do agree on, to vote. While Kara and Becky also like Mayor Flopdinger, Stacy admits that while he is a decent, and honest character, he's also slow to respond to a lot of issues, which she doesn't agree with. Mr. C agrees and tells a Thomas story about how "every engine has to pull its own freight train".

When Mayor Flopdinger realizes he's behind in the polls, Schemer offers to be his campaign manager, but it soon becomes obvious Schemer is doing so for his own benefit, rather than for Flopdinger, or the community. The station meets Flopdinger's opponent, Richard Richhouse, who speaks very vagely, but still seems popular.

During a debate, Kara and Becky act as the moderators, and question the two candidates about issues in the Indian Valley. Richhouse gives very vague answers, while Flopdinger (reading cue cards by Schemer) gives answers that benefit Schemer. Eventually, he realizes he's being used and abruptly fires Schemer. He then makes a heartfelt speech that, if he's re-elected mayor, he'll start tackling issues, giving a few examples, and repeats Mr. Conductor's earlier line that "Every engine has to pull its own freight train."

The citizens make their votes, including Midge, Stacy, Schemer, and Mr. Conductor. The girls start to ask reporter Ted Typo which candidate he voted for, but he's opted to abstain, feeling his vote won't make a difference. Becky mentions he'll have a mayor either way, and Typo reconsiders, and marks a ballot, and puts it in the box, still not feeling it'll make any difference. Later on, it's revealed that Mayor Flopdinger won the election, by one vote! (Although Midge Smoot takes credit for said vote, it's strongly implied Ted Typo's vote was the deciding one.) The newly re-elected Mayor cheerfully greats everyone and promises as mayor, to keep all promises, and Ted Typo realizes every vote made a difference.

Richhouse, having lost, opts to move to another town, to participate in another election. Before he does so, he makes an impassioned speech, that no political candidate who doesn't have the interests of everybody at heart, doesn't deserve to win.

Cast and Characters

Main Cast

The Flexitoon Puppeteers

Guest Starring

Thomas Stories

James Learns a Lesson

James accidentally wets Sir Topham's brand new top hat with steam, and then he bumps his second passenger train so hard that a coach brake fails.

Foolish Freight Cars

James has been confined to the shed, but he's released to pull a long line of freight cars. The cars misbehave, but James doesn't give up.

Jukebox Band Segment Song

Hurray For The Railway

Trivia

Richard Richhouse resembles the 37th president of the United States Richard Nixon.
"Meet the Kids" may be a play on the NBC political commentary/interview program "Meet the Press".
Richhouse was played by actor Richard Dixon (James LaRoe), a Nixon look-alike. The episode originally aired without incident in January 1993 with at least two additional repeats afterwards that did not draw undue attention. By unfortunate coincidence, the episode was rebroadcasted on April 27, 1994, the day of former President Nixon's funeral. According to a Washington Post article filed the following day, an apology was given by PBS after receiving a number of phoned-in complaints.
- In the same April 28, 1994 Washington Post article, co-creator and executive producer Rick Siggelkow provided some additional insight and clarification about the episode. "The intent was not to make fun of him [Mr. Nixon] on the show" and at the episode's conclusion, "Richhouse gives us a very strong, positive speech about why it's important to be in public life, to vote and to vote for someone who cares about people. There was no political reason for choosing Nixon. We considered [former New York mayor] Ed Koch because he was tenacious. I saw Nixon as almost a folklore figure - there was something that just made him seem like the logical one to be in the episode. He's not the villain of the peace by any means." This episode was pulled from airwaves nationwide as a result and would not be seen again until the show's Nick Jr. run.
The Thomas stories are listed in reverse order in the end credits.
In the Nick Jr. version, the story Foolish Freight Cars is cut out.

Goofs

While introducing "James Learns a Lesson", Mr. Conductor tells the others he was going too fast for the freight cars, but he was pulling a passenger train in the story.

Quotes

Midge Smoot (after Richhouse's speech): Well, he must know what he's talking about, I don't understand a word he's saying!
Mr. Conductor (struggling with the balloon): This is what you get when you lose control of your own hot air, you get all puffed up just like some of those politicians around here!

<< Series 2

Series 3

Family Specials >>

#01 Becky Makes a Wish	#10 Schemer Goes Camping	#19 Mysterious Stranger
#02 Schemer's Alone	#11 Mr. Conductor's Evil Twin	#20 Dan's Big Race
#03 Bully for Mr. Conductor	#12 Bad Luck Day at Shining Time Station	#21 Mr. Conductor Gets Left Out
#04 Stacy Cleans Up	#13 Mr. Conductor's Fourth of July	#22 Mr. Conductor's Big Sleepwalk
#05 Schemer's Robot	#14 Stacy Forgets Her Name	#23 The Mayor Runs for Re-Election
#06 Billy Saves the Day	#15 Schemer's Special Club	#24 Stacy Says No
#07 Billy's Party	#16 Mr. Conductor's Movie	#25 How the Station Got Its Name
#08 Fortune Teller Schemer	#17 The Joke's on Schemer
#09 Billy's Runaway Train	#18 Dance Crazy