Purple State

At a barbecue on the Taylor farm, Mary’s father, Tony, quickly bonds with Joe over their experiences running family businesses and their shared frustrations with government regulation and taxes. Joe also shares his anxiety about the government threatening to seize his farm for a corporate development. Later, Mary’s parents sit down with Jake and his brother, Tommy. Jake immediately charms Christine, and Tony thanks him for his military service. During a conversation about family traditions, Christine recounts a story about a former boyfriend of Mary’s who was overwhelmed by their loud Italian family. Jake confidently remarks that he could handle it and subtly touches Mary’s knee, confirming their relationship for her observant parents. When Christine questions Jake about his future, he affirms his lifelong commitment to staying in Cedar Falls, which visibly concerns her. She gives Mary a look that clearly communicates her disapproval of a romance with no future. To escape the tense moment, Mary pulls her mother away to look at the chicken coop.

Away from the group, Mary confronts Christine for interrogating Jake. Christine admits she knows they are dating and expresses her core concern: While Jake is a wonderful man, he is never leaving Wisconsin, and Mary’s life and family are in New York. She warns Mary not to waste her time on a romance with no viable future. Mary tearfully admits how much she likes Jake and that she feels like herself around him. The two reconcile with a hug, while Christine recognizes what Mary has not yet fully admitted to herself: Her daughter is truly in love. The group then participates in a 4-H practice session for the upcoming county fair. Later, Joe Taylor offers Tony a ride on his new John Deere tractor. Christine climbs aboard, and they joyfully drive off, much to Mary’s feigned embarrassment. As the day ends, Joe shows Mary an increased buyout offer for his farm from a D.C. law firm. She photographs the letter to investigate further.

With Senator Lucy Lopez’s campaign stop in Cedar Falls approaching, Dot Clark, Fletcher Abbott, and Rose Perkins are busy with preparations. While working the Democrats’ booth at the county fair, Dot observes Rose happily chatting with Republicans. Rose explains that she refuses to let politics interfere with friendship, telling Dot and Fletcher, “Politics is what I do, but it’s not who I am” (239). Her perspective makes Dot reflect on her own relationship with Danny, a Republican who has always supported her political work despite their differences. She realizes that she no longer cares how Danny votes because of how much she truly cares about him.

Dot’s focus shifts back to work when she recalls a new poll showing their opponents pulling ahead. The campaign’s urgency was highlighted in a recent call with her boss, Kitty Bell, who offered Dot and Fletcher a significant financial bonus if Lopez wins Wisconsin. The day takes a bad turn when Kitty texts with news that the Lopez campaign has canceled the Cedar Falls visit, rerouting the candidate to a protest in Texas. Frustrated by what they see as a strategic mistake by the national campaign, Dot heads back to the office to formulate a new plan.

Dot meets Mary and Harper Lee Adler at the county fair for a night of fun. The group of six, including Danny, Jake, and Tommy Taylor, plays carnival games. Harper wins a stuffed panda, and Danny wins a large stuffed cow for Dot after an impressive football toss, earning him a kiss. After they eat an array of fried fair food, the three women decide to ride the Ferris wheel. While they are at the very top, a sudden storm hits, a tornado siren blares, and the power cuts out, stranding them in the dark. Harper, having mixed allergy medicine with margaritas, feels sick and begins to panic. The storm passes, but they remain stuck. Jake arrives with a ladder to rescue them, first helping Mary and Dot descend safely. He then carefully guides a frightened and unwell Harper down. Once on the ground, Tommy comforts her. In that moment, Mary and Dot sense that Harper’s distress is about more than the scary ride; she truly wants to go home to New York.

As the group leaves the fairgrounds, they encounter Maddy and her friends, the same women who had previously been hostile toward Dot. Maddy is passive-aggressive, and when Harper steps forward to introduce herself, she suddenly vomits on Maddy’s clothes from her earlier mix of alcohol and allergy medication. The next morning, a recovering Harper goes to brunch with Dot and Mary, where they happen to see Maddy and her friends again. Harper approaches their table to apologize and offer to pay for the ruined outfit, but Maddy is rude and dismissive. She insults Harper and snidely remarks that Tommy is not a “long-term prospect.” As the women leave, Mary turns back and delivers a sharp parting shot, telling Maddy that therapy could help with her attitude.

With the Lopez campaign’s visit still unscheduled, Dot worries about losing momentum in Wisconsin. While shopping at Target with Mary and Harper, she discusses the campaign’s efforts to address voters’ concerns about rising costs, including a recent social-media video about education expenses that went viral but also drew criticism because Lopez does not have children. Dot then receives an emergence message from Kitty warning that The New York Times is preparing a damaging story based partly on claims from one of Lopez’s former boyfriends. That evening, Kitty explains that the campaign fears the article will use Lopez’s personal and romantic history to create a negative narrative around the unmarried, childless candidate. She tasks Dot and Fletcher with developing a rapid response. After rejecting Fletcher’s more conventional suggestions, Dot discusses the problem with Mary and devises an unconventional strategy: create a fake online dating profile for Lopez. The profile would embrace rather than avoid questions about her personal life by presenting Lopez as seeking a long-term, committed relationship with the country while allowing her to tell her own story before the article does it for her. Dot drafts the profile and sends it to Kitty, who immediately calls the idea “genius” and promises to seek Lopez’s approval.

While Dot, Mary, and Harper get ready for a night out with Danny, Jake, and Tommy, Dot anxiously awaits final approval for the dating profile. The women dress up, excited for their evening. Just as they are getting into Danny’s truck, Dot receives a text from Kitty: Senator Lopez loves the profile and has approved it without any changes. With her friends and Danny looking on, Dot opens the social media app on her phone. Feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation about the risky strategy, she hits “post,” launching the profile into the world.

Danny drives the group to the Reader Falls bookshop, where they are surprised by a party in their honor. All of their Cedar Falls friends, including the Jankowskis, the Taylors, and their colleagues, have decorated the store with a New York City theme to make them feel at home. The celebration includes New York-style pizza and Mary’s mother’s signature Sunday sauce, which Jake had arranged to have shipped from Staten Island. The friends eat, dance, and celebrate their time together. As Dot talks with Danny and the Jankowskis, she reveals that she dreamed of owning a bookstore as a child, imagining a place where she would know her customers and help them find the perfect book. A conversation about The Crew’s eventual return to New York then dampens the mood, particularly among the three developing couples. Grace gently redirects everyone away from thinking about goodbyes and encourages them to enjoy the time they still have together. As Dot reflects on everything they have discovered in Wisconsin, she finds herself thinking about what they will miss when they leave Cedar Falls—instead of what they once missed from New York.

During the party, Dot slips away to check on the Lopez dating profile. It has become a viral sensation, flooded with thousands of positive comments and likes. Kitty texts her, thrilled with the success and confirming they have successfully preempted the negative news story. Fletcher finds Dot, and they share an exuberant hug to celebrate their victory. Danny walks in at that moment and misinterprets their closeness, becoming quiet and distant. Sensing his discomfort, Dot subtly dismisses Fletcher and reassures Danny that their relationship is strictly professional. With the misunderstanding cleared up, Danny invites her back to his house. They leave the party together. The next morning, after they wake up in his bed, he insists they stay for a “second cup” of coffee, a tradition his mother said was for “all the good stuff” (273). Dot puts down her phone and realizes she does not miss it, choosing personal connection over the constant demands of work and technology.

As the election approaches, Dot and Danny’s relationship grows more serious, though they avoid discussing the reality of her impending departure. At work, the Wisconsin race is a dead heat at 48-48. Dot receives a surprise FaceTime call from Senator Lucy Lopez, who personally thanks her for the brilliant dating profile idea. Dot seizes the opportunity to again press for a campaign visit to Cedar Falls, and Lopez agrees to look into it. When Lopez asks about her post-election plans, Dot admits she has none. This leads to a personal conversation in which Lopez reveals that a serious relationship ended because she and her partner were pursuing incompatible careers. Looking back, Lopez regrets assuming that choosing the relationship would have meant that she had to sacrifice her professional ambitions rather than simply pursuing a different career. The story leaves Dot conflicted, forcing her to contemplate her future, her career, and her growing love for Danny.

With the election just weeks away, Dot is working nonstop. One morning, Danny surprises her with coffee and walks her to work. As they approach the For the Win office, they discover the front window has been smashed by a brick spray-painted with the message, “RIP Democrats.” Danny ensures the office is empty while Dot calls Jake to report the vandalism. While they wait, Danny cleans up the glass and arranges for a contractor to board up the window. Dot notes that Republic campaign signs in the neighborhood were also recently vandalized, reinforcing her sense that political tensions are escalating on both sides as Election Day approaches. Jake soon arrives to begin his investigation.

The group of six drives to Green Bay to attend a Packers game at Lambeau Field. They tailgate and visit Kroll’s, a legendary local diner, fully immersing themselves in the game-day rituals. During the game, Dot steps away and checks her email, finding an unexpected job offer. Bailey Bickle, Kitty’s friend who works for the American Progress Center, a D.C.-based Super PAC, offers her a high-level Director of Communications position. Although the job could once have seemed like a dream opportunity, Dot is surprised to find that the prospect leaves her feeling flat. She does not want to live in Washington, D.C., but more importantly, the job is neither in New York nor in Wisconsin, forcing her to confront how attached she has become to Danny and Cedar Falls.

Meanwhile, Jake arranges a surprise for Mary, bringing her onto the field at halftime. As a joke, Mary reveals an Aaron Rodgers jersey under her sweatshirt, drawing boos from the crowd, as the quarterback is no longer a local hero. The prank amuses Jake immensely. After the Packers win, the group heads home, but Dot’s mind is consumed by the job offer and the difficult choices she now faces.

A few days later, Dot receives a gift from her sister: A gold bangle engraved with the word “Breathe,” a reminder to stay calm amidst the escalating pressure. The Wisconsin race is now tied 49-49, and the campaign is all-consuming. Dot interviews for the D.C. job with the American Progress PAC, and although the interview goes well and the organization signals that an offer is likely, the conversation confirms her feeling that Washington is not the right place for her. Her heart is in Wisconsin with Danny, but she knows he is unlikely to leave Cedar Falls, and they have yet to discuss their future. The looming end of the campaign and her time in town fills her with anxiety. That evening, she and Mary share a glass of wine, and both admit to feeling lost and uncertain about what comes next.

Dot runs into Jeanie Jankowski, who invites her for tea at the local bakery, Flour Power. Jeanie mentions how much happier Danny has seemed since Dot arrived, comparing his joy to the time before his fiancée, Sadie, died. Dot confides in Jeanie about her love for Danny but also her fears about their relationship’s future, given her impending return to New York. In response, Jeanie shares the story of her own leap of faith in leaving England to marry Ted and move to Wisconsin, advising Dot to trust her heart above all else. Dot admits she believes she loves Danny but is unsure if he is ready to love again or if he would ever leave Cedar Falls. Jeanie is direct, stating she is certain Danny is “head over heels” for Dot but is hesitant and likely needs a “little push.” She strongly encourages Dot to be brave and tell Danny how she feels.