Bart catches a three-eyed fish (named Blinky) in the river by the power plant and it makes headlines. State nuclear inspectors find numerous safety violations, and order Mr. Burns to fix them OR ELSE the plant will be closed down. Burns plans to run for governor, so that he can pass laws that will keep the plant open (by doing away with the regulations which are costing him so much money).
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Bart and Lisa go fishing barefoot downstream of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant and The Springfield Shopper reporter Dave Shutton pulls up just as Bart catches a three-eyed fish, Blinky. From the resulting publicity the governor, Mary Bailey, calls for an investigation of the power plant and its owner, Montgomery Burns. After an inspection, Mr. Burns is presented with a list of 342 violations, which would cost over $56 million to rectify ($56,088,800 in Smithers's calculator). Distraught, Burns talks to under-performing employee Homer, who halfheartedly suggests that Burns run for Governor, which he does. Because Marge believes that Burns is only attempting to gain political office in order to cover up problems at the plant, she wants nothing to do with Homer's campaigning for Burns, even though Homer makes a clear point that he is only supporting Mr. Burns so he won't get fired and that he can still provide for his family. Homer's support for Burns divides the Simpson house, because Marge and Lisa support Bailey. It is unsure whether Bart supports either Mary Bailey or Monty Burns, but he is seen wearing a "Vote for Burns" T-shirt.
Burns' political advisers break the news to Burns that he is not well liked and force Burns to try being friendly and even smile. Burns also does a TV commercial while discussing Blinky with an actor portraying Charles Darwin, who claims Blinky is an evolutionary step. Combined with a smear campaign against Mary Bailey this eventually leads to Burns tying Bailey in the polls. As election day approaches, Smithers and his other advisers suggest that Burns have dinner with a worker from the plant as an opportunity to put Burns goes "over the top" by having dinner with what people would consider an average American family right on the night before the election with the Simpsons being chosen as the family to host said dinner. Marge is upset with Homer for allowing Burns to come over for dinner and use their family as tool for election night, claiming she, "doesn't want to snuggle with anybody who's not letting her express herself." Homer insists that Marge does get to express herself through the way she takes care of the house and the food she serves to the table at night. Upon hearing this, Marge comes up with an idea on how to deal with Burns. The following night, as the family is prepared for the dinner, Burns' campaign team gives the Simpsons cue cards to read as their, "questions" to Burns so he wouldn't have any issue answering them in front of the press. Once he arrives, Mr.Burns answers all of the pre-written questions with ease, to which his adviser whispers to him, has put him a few points ahead of Bailey in the polls. After Lisa finishes with her question, she walks into the kitchen and sulks to Marge about how they've essentially become the tools of evil. Marge tells Lisa, that she's learning a lot that night, and one of those things is to always give her the benefit of the doubt. Marge then proceeds to prove her point and put everyone to shock as she serves Blinky for dinner. A frustrated Burns hands his plate over to Marge, who gives him a big piece to eat in front of the press. Mr. Burns looks to his campaign team at the back of the room and sees his adviser gesturing him to eat it and pretend that it doesn't bother him. Following the advice of his campaign team, Burns tries to behave himself and eat the fish, but is not able to keep from spitting it out. The cameras flash as the piece flies through the air, the press rushes out of the house to publish the event and his gubernatorial campaign is over by the time the chunk lands on the floor. When the report of the latest polls indicate that public confidence in Burns as sunk to rock bottom, Burns turns to his campaign team in pure desperation claiming that there must be something that can be done and tells Smithers to boil some coffee. However, his campaign team doesn't view the situation in the same light as Mr. Burns and they all decide to throw in the towel and leave. Infuriated by coming so close to achieving victory, Burns tarnishes the family room (with Smithers overturning the things too heavy for him). When Lisa remarks that destroying their meager possessions isn't going to change anything, Burns hangs his head in defeat and admits that she's right, deciding to return home and destroy, "something of value". Before leaving, however, Mr. Burns turns to Homer and tells him that he will dedicate the rest of his life to ensuring that Homer's dreams are never be fulfilled. While going to bed, Homer is nervous and says he doesn't like the sound of Burns' threat. Nevertheless, Marge cheers him up by pointing out that when someones dreams are just being able to snuggle with someone at night and have seconds of dessert, no single man can take that away from him and in the end the Simpson family is brought back together.
