In a highly anticipated televised interview with Democratic Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris and Vice Presidential Nominee Tim Walz, the pair made overt overtures to centrists, moderate independents, and undecided voters, hoping to bring them into the Harris-Walz campaign fold.
The professional, polished interview Thursday night contrasts with the ‘everyman’ image the Democrats have been cultivating since Harris selected “Coach Walz” as her running mate.
Middle-American Appeal
Recent campaign activities including a bus tour in Georgia have featured typical middle-American Republican-esque fare, including allusions to football in the person of “Coach Walz,” references to pheasant hunting and fluorescent orange hunting vests, and showcasing approachable and humble flannel attire.
Targeting the Rural and Suburban Vote
The takeaway from the bus tour schedule through Georgia and current campaign messaging is that Harris and Walz are courting the middle-American, rural, and suburban vote as a path to victory in the quickly approaching election.
The Importance of Winning Over Opposing Voters
Either party can significantly improve its chances of victory by picking off a significant chunk of the other party’s lowest-hanging fruit and appealing to the median voter across the spectrum.
Balancing Progressive Goals with Moderate Appeal
The Democratic campaign is attempting to do just that by maintaining its lofty and progressive-leaning policy goals while also appealing personally and optically to its targeted median voter.
These voters may be left-leaning as far as midwesterners go or may be a rural resident that simply has been written off by Democratic campaigns over the past decade who spend their political capital elsewhere.
Strategic Campaigning in Battleground States
John Anzalone, political strategist for the Obama and Biden campaigns and the Harris-Walz campaign, said it only took a 44,000 vote advantage in battleground states for Biden to clinch the White House in 2020. He credits political campaign dollars spent in rural areas for the ultimate victory.
Expanding the Base in Red-Leaning Regions
For this reason, Anzalone encourages Harris and Walz to delve into the rural, red-leaning regions of the country to pick up additional votes. He said, “You can’t just do base politics. It would help if you did base expansion and narrow margins in demographics that are rougher for you. You may get your ass kicked, but it’s about getting your ass kicked by a smaller margin.”
Considering Bipartisanship in the Cabinet
Harris announced in Thursday’s CNN interview that she would consider having a Republican overseeing a federal agency on her cabinet. This move is one that centrists and moderates would appreciate more than traditional partisans.
Shifting Focus to Traditionally Republican Areas
In recent elections, Democrats have avoided spending time and campaign capital in regions they are unlikely to win, such as rural counties and some far-out suburbs. This has resulted in regions that have become deeply entrenched in partisanship and inhospitable to Democrats.
The Importance of Showing Up
Dan Kanninen of the Harris-Walz campaign said, “Democrats for many cycles failed to understand the value of…showing up in places that might be a little more difficult to win because they were less efficient…because the votes weren’t all in one place.” After several election cycles, though, according to Kanninen, “you kind of just lose folks altogether.”
Result of Failing to Maintain Campaign Presence in Areas Over Long Term
Democrats ended up with deep red enclaves where they were losing up to 80% of the vote to Republicans.
Harris and Walz’s Approach to Rural Voters
Harris and Walz seem to be taking a different tack. They are carefully exposing rural voters to a more approachable and identifiable image of themselves—clad in country wear and discussing themes cherished and familiar to midwesterners while touring rural areas on a bus.
Walz’s Role in the Campaign
Harris likely chose Walz, a former high school teacher and National Guard veteran, to help her ticket attract voters who otherwise would not identify with her.
Highlighting Harris’s Middle-American Values
In recent weeks, Harris has been communicating her values and characteristics that would appeal to middle Americans. She has highlighted that she once worked at McDonald’s and is a self-made woman who rose from an immigrant family.
Emphasizing Law and Order Credentials
She has also emphasized her work as a prosecutor, putting criminals behind bars and proving her law and order credentials. Public safety is a significant consideration for suburban voters.
