2025 PARANORMAL FLASH FICTION CHALLENGE RUNNER-UP

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LIVE AT NINE: THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATE GAINS TRACTION

Good evening. This is Alexander Hollis with America Tonight.

Our top story: the unexpected has become reality and the electoral process has taken a turn few anticipated.

It’s official, the Chupacabra—yes, that Chupacabra—triumphs at the National Voice Party convention. The NVP, once dismissed as a protest vehicle, is now reshaping the electoral map, attracting bipartisan defections and signaling a historic realignment of the American political landscape.

Party officials confirmed the nomination earlier this afternoon in a closed-door session in Reno, Nevada. According to internal delegates, the vote was swift and “functionally unanimous.”

The candidate, who was listed simply as “C.” on the ballot, has yet to speak publicly and has not participated in any scheduled debates. However, a single written statement from the Chupacabra was released through the NVP’s official channels late last week.

The message read, in full: “The time for hunger is over. The time for feeding has begun.”

Though brief, the message has already become a defining element of the campaign, particularly among voters focused on economic issues. With inflation and food insecurity ranking among top concerns this cycle, many have interpreted the statement as a call for economic relief.

One voter in Youngstown, Ohio told us, “With how high grocery prices are right now, I’m just glad someone is actually thinking about the middle class. The other candidates keep talking around it. This one said it plainly.”

In Kenosha, Wisconsin, a retiree who identified as a former independent commented, “I’ve never understood single-issue voters to be honest. But I have to say—this message of strong food production, of prioritizing basic survival—that really resonates with me. It finally feels like a candidate understands what we’re dealing with.”

Critics from both major parties were quick to question the candidate’s eligibility, citing longstanding confusion over the constitutional requirement that a president be a “natural born citizen.” Several high-profile party surrogates pointed to unverified reports that the Chupacabra was born outside the U.S. as grounds for disqualification.

In response, the National Voice Party released official documentation earlier this week, including a certified birth record indicating the candidate was born in a rural municipality outside Ponce, Puerto Rico. Legal experts note that under current U.S. law and constitutional interpretation, individuals born in Puerto Rico are recognized as natural born citizens and therefore fully eligible for the presidency.

The Federal Election Commission has reviewed the materials and issued no challenges to the candidate’s status.

Political analysts who have followed the race since the early exploratory filings note that the Chupacabra’s appeal may lie in its explicit ambiguity. With no speeches, no clear affiliations and one single direct message, the candidate has become a vessel for voter sentiment—absorbing a wide range of interpretations without offering clarification.

Despite the lack of formal communication, polling numbers continue to rise, particularly in suburban districts and rural communities facing acute cost-of-living challenges.

As for younger voters, many appear less concerned with policy specifics and more drawn to tone and presentation. Daniel Monson, 18, a newly registered voter in Lancaster, Pennsylvania put it this way: “The Chupacabra just feels real. He’s not trying to impress anyone. The other candidates…I don’t even remember their names right now, ha, they come off as forced. The Chup’s not cringe. That’s honestly it.”

This growing coalition—now informally known among supporters as “Chup’s Troops”—has been linked to a series of so-called “offerings” at political sites. In several states, officials have reported piles of goat bones placed near voting locations and outside party offices. No group has claimed responsibility.

More after the break.

Assigned Phenomenon: Chupacabra
This story was written as part of our recent paranormal-themed contest, in which each participant was assigned a different paranormal phenomenon.