In the waning days of the California primary election of 1996, Bill Clinton has secured the Democratic nomination and Bob Dole is in place to run against him. Incumbent US Senator Jay Bulworth, while still holding off a challenger, suffers a nervous breakdown and decides to commit suicide by hiring a hitman to assassinate him during the final campaign weekend. But Bulworth's self-planned death yields two unexpected dividends: the freedom to speak honestly and a meeting with Nina, a beautiful African-American woman who has been raised by '60's activists. With new enthusiasm to live, Bulworth must now stop the "hit" he has put out on himself.