RUFUS - After a major and bitter loss to Jay Laylin, Thomas Cooke says he is now looking to the future and is weighing carefully his next steps, but didn't reveal what those step could be. However, many of his supporters think they have an idea as to what he will likely do now that he lost his presidential bid.

According to several people close to Cooke, the former New Shire Governor is likely to seek a bid for Congress, something that would give him that much needed federal government experience, to allow him to potentially run again for the Presidency.

Others think he may try to return to the Governor's office in 2026, by defeating Incumbent Lynn Rodgers, and whoever will be the Republican candidate during the 2026 New Shire Gubernatorial Election.

In a statement he posted on X, the former New Shire Governor issued the following statement following Jay Laylin's win.

"Although we lost the presidency, we gained something out of this whole experience," Cooke's tweet read. "We gained the power that unification works, and that there is always a second chance to win the Nationalist House. We have to move forward and carry on, because there is nothing more to do now in terms of the Presidential election. All I will say is that I wish President-Elect Jay Laylin the best and wish him success as the next Jesstopian President."

Many Cooke supporters say that they think the election was suspiciously rushed, and that gave Jay Laylin some type of advantage that has yet to be proven. Some say that they hope he runs a 2028 Presidential bid, but we are still 5 years away from that, so they said they would not hold their breath on that idea.

Other Cooke supporters say that they hope that he runs a Congressional bid in 2025, because that would open up his experience to be able to run on nationwide governing experience, something that he lacked during this election.