While fishing near the Springfield Nuclear Reactor, Bart and Lisa land a three-eyed fish. The event makes headlines and a Washington regulatory committee sends a team to investigate nuclear waste coming from the plant. Despite Mr. Burns's attempts at bribery, the team tells him to clean up his plant or they will shut it down.

Homer tells Burns that if he were governor he could pass laws to keep the plant open. Surprised that something Homer said actually made sense, Burns runs for governor. He hires slick spin doctors and publicists to boost his public image. Slowly, he gains on the incumbant, Mary Bailey, to whom Marge remains loyal. Questioned by reporters about the three-eyed fish, Burns declares that it is Mother Nature's way of improving her handiwork and that three eyes are better than two.

Burns's public relations people fear he may be losing touch withthe common man and arrange a media event: Burns will have dinner with the Simpsons. Homer makes Marge promise she will not say anything to make his boss look bad. With the camera rolling, Marge places the three-eyed fish onto Burns's plate. Prompted by one of his PR men, Burns takes a bite of the radioactive fish. He spits it out in front of the TV cameras, sinking his campaign.