Ok here are some changes from TPM 2004 I would suggest.

1) Add the ability to play games with random polling data, wealth, and electoral vote values in multiplayer.

2) Allow 2 canidates from same party to run against each other.  (Think should be easy to allow this to be done).  Gives us a way to simulate a primary...at least somewhat.  It wouldnt have caucuses and super delegates but still nice option to have.

3) Allow third party candidates.  Preferably playable  so can play 3 player multi player.  But at least a value representing a candidate like Ralph Nader's impact on returns would be nice.   This may be impossible at this point in developement but would add alot to game.

4) Add a slider to adjust the rate at which political opporunities appear.

5) JFK should be in game.  How can Reagan be in TPM 2004 for republicans and not JFK for democrats anyway?

6)  Vice presidential candidates should move under their own stamina bar not share with the main candidate.  Of course the effectiveness of their actions should be less than the main candidate.

7) Add the ability to buy specific scandals with political capital.  Things like missing military service records, a crazy preacher, fund raising scandal, an old affair, taking 'a wide stance' in the bathroom.  I realize the scandal monger operative serves this function to some degree but some specific scandals would be more fun.  

It would also add a missing game element.  the game now is primarily issues driven.  Many elections are about character.  This would allow you to, in effect, attack character.  For example a crazy preacher might hurt their religious rating, an old affair might reduce integrity rating, a fund raising scandal might reduce their fund raising statistic.  These would have a national effect.

8) To that end there should also be on option for political ads attacking certain aspects of a candidate's character.  For example an ad questioning military service to reduce an opponents military rating.  Conversely there should be ads to improve your own attributes.  An ad saying 'I feel your pain' might increase compassion.

Since some attributes, like stamina or intelligence, don't lend them to to they localized effects of ads this would only work for select stats like integrity, religion, military, fund raising, compassion.  But not for intelligence, money, or stamina.

 It might work best to have some character stats effected by scandals purchased through political opportunites.  These would be those where their impact can only be gamewide like stamina.  Others would be alterable by advertising...those, like compassion, that have a local effect (of course radio/TV would have some nation impact). 

9) Additional unlockable candidates by meeting specific achievements.  Winning a 50 state victory might unlock JFK.  Winning by a certain margin in the south might unlock Robert E Lee (cause I want to run him against Grant).

10) DEBATES.  Have some.  Could work similar to TV appearances. 

11) Change political opporunities so that it isnt a race to get to them first.  If you have a message pop up at the beginning of the turn your opponent has already grabbed the ? before you even clear the message. Maybe all candidates that visit that state during the turn roll for it at end of turn or something.

12) Stamina has too big an impact.  It is almost impossible to win, at least against another human, when there is anything but a very minor stamina difference.  There needs to be some in game offset.  

Maybe through the character attacking I mentioned earlier (you could attack the other candidates lavish travel habits to reduce stamina(cause now he has to fly coach)...but not below a certain minimum).