How Harris Wins
What if the Democratic candidate leans in to white working-class grievances?
Here’s what we know:
Swing voters are focused on pocket book issues.
According to Blueprint, a Democratic polling group, Harris campaign ads focused on “the struggle of working families” performed better than those touting Harris as a “champion of democracy.”
When we talk about democracy as something to be “saved,” something “under attack,” we lose. Because swing voters carry elections. Harris may be popular among younger voters and voters of color and this could lead to a popular victory. But for an Electoral College victory, Harris needs to clinch the battleground states — Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan. That means appealing to those older voters and the white working class. Because that’s what swing states are — older, whiter, and working class.
Recently I made the case that Harris should choose a non-white running mate. Perhaps this seems counterintuitive given what I just said about swing states. But I’m…
