The Political Machine is a government simulation game from Stardock and the first game in the Political Machine series in which the player leads a campaign to elect the President of the United States. The player accomplishes this goal by traveling from state to state and engaging in a variety of activities to either raise money or raise poll numbers. Each game starts with the selection of a pre-created candidate or creation of a fictional candidate from one of the two major American political parties the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Headquarters and fundraisers are possible the effectiveness of which depends on various factors.