Victoria Pierce is not the person she claims to be. As a beautiful farm girl, living in desolation on the Oklahoma range, she escapes her draconian "parents", hitchhikes to San Francisco, and enlists in the United States Marine Corps. After surviving the rigors of basic training, Victoria is promoted through the ranks from private to brigadier general.

Throughout her evolution, General Pierce and United States Senator Sam Eagan carry on a torrid love affair. Victoria joins Sam's campaign for president, first as his military consultant and later as his vice presidential candidate. No one, not even Sam Eagan, is aware of Victoria's clandestine past, except for one anonymous and demented caller.

During the presidential campaign, Victoria befriends reporter Grace Brandon, but Grace becomes increasingly suspicious of Victoria's urban sophistication which belies an agrarian past. This leads Grace into investigative reporting that eventually unravels the truth about Victoria's past. However, before Grace can get to the bottom of the story, Sam and Victoria win the presidential election. Not long afterwards, Victoria ascends to the office of acting president under the 25th Amendment. Grace finally completes her investigation and convinces her editor to release a bombshell of a story. America is shocked. Victoria reacts.

Will the story require Victoria to resign, or can she survive the revelation?