Plot summary
After Sally Langston announces that she will hold the first Republican debate, the presidential candidates prepare themselves. Olivia tries to make Mellie "a woman of the people" in the media, but Mellie makes a very public faux pas – leading Olivia to try and fix it. Susan practices her debate skills while at the same time dealing with news of David cheating on her with Elizabeth, leading her to end their relationship. Meanwhile, Quinn learns valuable intel from Jake's fiancée, which turns out to be that Rowan and Jake are funding Edison's presidential campaign. Cyrus gets outplayed by Vargas' brother in handling the campaign.
Credits
Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Scandal season 5. HTML formatting and reference markers removed.