Wriggly Rex: Amoral Leader

All's fair in Midwestern politics when idealist meets shifty philanderer

SHOW LOW – Ernst Funck is an idealistic young conservative who takes a staff position in Rex Wrigley’s 1980 campaign for the U.S. Senate. Ernst is a smart and talented writer, but has a few problems. And he really needs a job. “Wriggly Rex” seems charming and intelligent, but he is actually an alcoholic lecher.

In Lew Dodgson's new novel Wriggly Rex: Amoral Leader (published by iUniverse) the campaign gets into gear with the hodgepodge staff Rex has put together: Bunny the confrontational office manager and Porky the schoolyard bully turned political strategist. And Ernst soon realizes that Rex’s wife Blanche and his much younger girlfriend Angel have an edgy coexistence in the campaign. Ernst and Rex set out to raise money, courting the nutty oil millionaire Buck Cheatem, then Rex shows up drunk at his first press conference. When the national party realizes Rex's campaign is off course, they send in the Rat Squad to help him win by starting a nasty rumor about his opponent, and a new round of misadventures starts, many involving the local fundamentalist Christian group. These characters play out the political process in all its glory, the development of conservative thought, free market philosophy and practical electioneering. And their personalities range from smart, honest and hardworking to manipulating, vain, philandering and entitled. In the end, Ernst leaves with a bonus of self-knowledge and opportunity from his apprenticeship.

About the Author
Lew Dodgson’s writing background includes sports, features and general newspaper reporting, marketing communications and Web content; and editorials for an independent political blog. This experience has given him an in-depth understanding of a political process that is riddled with comedy, mostly unintentional. Dodgson founded and operated two small technology businesses for 20 years. He lives in the mountains of Arizona. Dodgson says if politics plus people equals humor, then politics plus hypocrisy equals hilarity. His study of real human behavior combines with a bizarre imagination to challenge his characters with impossible situations. This is his first book and he already has two more planned for next year. For more information, visit www.wrigglyrex.com.