Pacifica: Surviving Apocalypse

A President retains power after losing an election. A Civil War goes nuclear. After 30 years, it settles into regions. The tyrannical President dies from a plague. Uprisings ensue. In a show of strength, his son, the new leader, puts them down via nuclear weapons. The protagonist, a former supporter, is forced to flee to Canada to seek refuge with his young son. The perilous journey leaves him disaffected. He finds love in Canada, but his asylum request is denied while his son's is approved. He is forced to return to the remnants of the United States and make his way West to Pacifica, the break away state preserving democracy.