Leslie and Ben are caught off guard when her opponent Bobby Newport hires a powerful campaign manager from Washington. Chris forces Ron to start interviewing replacements for Leslie when work starts falling through the cracks, and an unlikely officemate solves a challenging problem.

Ron, Diane, and Leslie attend a wood working awards dinner after one of Ron's handcrafted chairs is nominated, but the happy occasion is threatened by the arrival of Tammy II. Meanwhile, Jerry hosts a holiday party at his home with his wife, and some of his friends are shocked to find they were not invited.