Tom and Donna host a focus group, looking for their impressions of Leslie as a candidate, while Ben and Leslie watch through a one-way window. One participant, named Derek, claims he won't vote for Leslie, stating that she doesn't seem like someone he would like to bowl with. When Ben and Leslie discuss the results, Leslie is obsessed with getting Derek's vote. She researched him, including his bowling ability. Ben tells her the public sees her as elitist, but they need to see that she can have fun. Leslie decides to host a bowling game night for potential voters, with Ron, Ann, and Tom coming along.
Meanwhile, Jerry is hosting a fundraising phone bank at April and Andy's house, where the rest of the campaign team calls potential donors. Jerry offers a prize of two movie passes for the person who raises the most money. Chris is excited at the possibility of winning the tickets so he can go to the movies with Millicent. April dedicates herself to beating Chris because she finds his constant happiness annoying.
At the bowling alley, Leslie meets with some of the voters in attendance, but when Derek arrives, having received an invitation, Leslie focuses all her attention on him, despite Ben's advice to meet with all the attendees. Leslie plans to lose to Derek on purpose while giving him free food and beer in an effort to win his vote. Meanwhile, Ron is appalled at Tom's goofy, yet effective, way of bowling.
Chris, who's well in the fundraising lead, announces to the rest of the team that he plans to ask Millicent to move in with him. When Chris leaves the room to take a break, Jerry reveals to Donna, April, and Andy that Millicent is actually planning to break up with Chris.
Tom is beating Ron at bowling. Ron crushes Tom's finger between two bowling balls, claiming it was an accident, though Tom thinks he did it on purpose. Meanwhile, Leslie has lost a bowling game to Derek and asks him if he'll vote for her. He says he won't because he doesn't like her. Leslie angrily challenges him to a rematch where if she wins, she gets his vote.
Millicent arrives, and she and Chris take a walk outside. She ends the relationship, and Chris doesn't come back to the fundraiser. April wins the contest, but she now feels bad that her wish to see Chris' happiness go away came true.
Leslie wins her rematch against Derek, who angrily calls Leslie a bitch. Ben rushes to Leslie's defense and punches Derek hard enough to knock him to the ground. He apologizes, but Leslie is awed and immediately kisses Ben. Unfortunately, the press was there and caught it on camera. A police officer warns Leslie that Derek might press charges against Ben.
Tom and Ron finish their bowling match, with Tom bowling one-handed due to his injury. Tom still wins.
The next morning, Ben offers to resign after they see the story in the paper, but Leslie won't let him. Leslie holds a press conference. She apologizes on behalf of herself and Ben, but then she takes it back. She explains that Derek (who is also at the press conference) was drunk and acting like a jerk and Ben was right to defend her.
April visits Chris, who is very depressed and heartbroken, in his office. She gives him the movie tickets, with an additional ticket, inviting him to the movies sometime with her and Andy, as well as a hug.
A new focus group watches the press conference, with several of them expressing a positive opinion of Leslie.
Ron returns to the bowling alley using Tom's bowling style. He gets a perfect 300 game, but tells the employee to erase the scoreboard.
Tropes
- Be Careful What You Wish For: April wanted Chris' happiness to go away, but feels awful about it when it does.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Ben punches out Derek after he calls Leslie a bitch.
- Bowling for Ratings: Ron actually posts a 300 game by using Tom's childish and embarrassing double-handed split-legged style, but refuses to acknowledge the acclaim.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Ben takes Derek down with one punch and makes him bleed.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: The name badge of the bowling alley manager indicates that his name is "Bob Manager".
- Hard Truth Aesop: As Ben eventually has to spell out for Leslie, don't get to focused on one person not liking you because there will always be people who don't like you.
- His Name Really Is "Barkeep": As a Freeze-Frame Bonus joke, the name badge of the bowling alley manager indicates that his name is "Bob Manager".
- In Love with Your Carnage: A very downplayed example, but after punching Derek out, Leslie immediately swoons and throws herself at Ben.
- Invulnerable Knuckles: Averted - Ben's hisses that his hand hurts after he punches out Derek.
- I Resemble That Remark!: A guy in Leslie's focus group comments that she seems uptight, not the sort of person you'd go bowling with. She gets really uptight about trying to seem laid back and good at bowling.
- Jerkass: Derek is a Sore Loser, misogynist, and treats Ben like a servant throughout the night.
- Not-So-Innocent Whistle: When Millicent shows up to break up with Chris, Andy starts doing this the moment he sees her.
- Pet the Dog: At the end, April, still feeling bad for wishing for Chris' happiness to go away, invites him to the movies with her and Andy using the movie tickets she won in the raffle and reassures him he's not alone.
- Shout-Out: Tom wears Ryan Gosling's satin scorpion jacket from Drive (2011).
- Somebody Doesn't Love Raymond: Leslie becomes obsessed with winning the friendship and vote of one focus group participant who stated that he didn't like her.
