It's election season, and in the midst of a tight campaign, an incumbent New Jersey senator's campaign manager falls ill with liver failure and temporary paralysis. Cuddy pushes House to add a female doctor to his team by hiring brilliant third-year medical student Martha Masters in Thirteen's absence. House and the team are wary of the young doctor's lack of experience and medical perspective, but are forced to give their new by-the-book teammate a chance to prove herself. After the campaigning senator makes a surprising announcement, House and the team look to the candidate to find clues about the patient's condition. Meanwhile, Foreman learns that Taub has a past connection to Masters, and in an effort to save his patient's life, House must make a critical decision that may compromise his relationship with Cuddy.