GOP strategist: Trump seems to be blowing up his own campaign | Opinion
In her first big decision as the Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris was not up to the task. Choosing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate showed she caved to progressives. The Harris-Walz ticket is the most liberal presidential duo in recent history. Case closed. Donald Trump wins. Game over. Right?
Not so fast. On face value, it appears to some that Gov. Josh Shapiro was the better choice. As a charismatic, popular governor from Pennsylvania, he could lock up the state’s 19 electoral votes and make Trump’s path to victory almost impossible.
Even Sen. Mark Kelly seemed a better choice to some. Choosing an astronaut senator from a red state with 11 electoral votes had the potential to reshape the electoral map. After all, Trump barely cracked 49% in Arizona and adding Kelly to the ticket would put that state in play — forcing Trump to find a blue state that he could flip.
Of course, running mates don’t guarantee a win in their home state, but they can add a few percentage points to the margins. In states like Pennsylvania and Arizona, that would be all it would take to ensure Harris is elected president.
That’s why it’s easy for some Republicans to think Harris failed her first big test by choosing Walz from Minnesota, a state where a Republican presidential candidate hasn’t won since 1972.
But 2024 is unlike any other race in modern political history and we must look at the vice presidential pick in the political context in which it happened.
Harris made this choice after Trump questioned if she was Black. Harris made this choice after Trump picked a pointless fight with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Harris made this choice after JD Vance’s comments about “childless cat ladies” resurfaced.
Trump, who sought to regain momentum at a Thursday news conference at Mar-a-Lago, seems to be blowing up his own campaign. So Harris didn’t need to pick Shapiro or Kelly to win. Trump’s undisciplined approach to politics made Harris’ choice of Walz possible.
Trump’s push to move a previously scheduled debate on ABC and his offer Thursday to debate Harris three times on three different networks seemed like desperate moves by a Trump campaign struggling to regain its footing. Unlike the July CNN debate, where Trump walked right into a lion’s den and took on Joe Biden, these stunts make Trump look weak and in need of help from a friendly network.
Because Trump seems to be self-destructing, Harris was able to gamble on a running mate who supported a police reform plan that Republicans said was hostile to law enforcement, supports sanctuary cities and allowing undocumented immigrants to get driver’s licenses, and said “one person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness.”
It’s easy to attack Walz as ultra-liberal or progressive, but it will do little to change the political dynamic. For too many voters that feels like another Trump attack that is more demagoguery than substance.
Trump is well defined and voters have strong opinions of him. Some voters will embrace any candidate if that means keeping Trump out of the White House. In that way, 2024 Trump is a lot like 2016 Hillary Clinton.
Also, Walz’s folksy style makes him feel harmless. His background and demeanor make him relatable, even to voters who may be reluctant to vote for a Black woman from California.
The truth is that the Walz pick was a calculated move to get a progressive in the White House. Democrats want to reshape America, and they see a generational opportunity to do so with Trump as the Republican nominee.
Harris has strong momentum and is moving ahead in some polls. With a renewed sense of purpose, Democrats are full of hope and optimism. It feels like it is now her election to lose.
To stop them, Republicans must talk about issues and highlight their vision for America.
In his press conference, Trump returned to discussing safety and security, inflation and high energy costs — critical issues that will resonate with swing-state voters. This is how we win elections.
Matt Wylie is a S.C. based Republican political strategist with over 25 years of experience on federal, state and local campaigns.
