Opinion: How Kamala Harris can beat Donald Trump and unify America

The stunning speed with which Democrats have rallied around Vice President Kamala Harris as their presidential nominee indicates their profound desire to beat former President Donald Trump in November and prevent a disastrous second Trump presidency. Equally, having gained the nomination without having to face primary voters, after President Biden bowed out on Sunday, it is now particularly crucial for Harris to indicate to general election voters that she will run as a unifying centrist.

The good news is that Trump’s radical policy positions provide Harris tremendous latitude in doing so. Even so, she must take several specific actions in the next few weeks to signal her intention to appeal to the wide array of general election voters that she will need to beat Trump in November.

First, Harris must let voters know she understands that the last few years of high inflation have been difficult for many struggling households.

While the overall economy is strong , inflation caused by pent-up demand from the COVID pandemic has hit middle-income and working-class families especially hard. In contrast to Trump’s effort to lavish more tax breaks on the wealthiest Americans , Harris should advocate ending Trump’s massive giveaways to the rich, to be replaced by a temporary tax cut for middle- and working-class voters. This will indicate more than anything else that Harris truly stands with average Americans.

Second, Harris must choose a moderate running mate from a key swing state.

The most obvious choice would be Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who himself has run and governed as a centrist, skillfully navigating the complicated politics of the Keystone State. For example, Shapiro has made it clear that he opposes any ban on natural gas production , which provides jobs for tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians and lowers energy costs. Yet, just like Harris , Shapiro also strongly supports clean energy tax incentives and transition to low emissions energy.

Of course, Harris could also consider a vice presidential nominee from Michigan or Wisconsin. Another option could be Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, a distinguished 25-year veteran and astronaut. But Pennsylvania seems her most logical option.

Thirdly, Harris must indicate to voters that she has grown and matured during her time as vice president, recognizing legitimate problems like illegal immigration and concerns over ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East must be addressed.

Harris already understands this. As she said in an interview with The New York Times after being named vice president, “I’m not trying to restructure society. I’m just trying to take care of the issues that wake people up in the middle of the night.” This suggests a greater focus on kitchen table economic issues of concern to average voters, like reining in like the cost of prescription drugs , tax measures to help middle-income Americans save money and create a nest egg for retirement , and efforts to help young people afford first homes .

Fourth, Harris must directly challenge Donald Trump’s political strategy of fomenting a divisive — and sometimes violent —  culture war .

This is not simply about attacking Trump’s denial that he lost the 2020 election and plans to undermine elements of American democracy . Just as importantly, Harris must confront Trump over his routine demonization of regular American citizens simply because they do not share his political views. One way to do this may be for Harris to appear on right-wing media like Fox, indicating a willingness to address the concerns of conservative Americans. It’s a strategy that has worked well for California Gov. Gavin Newsom and others.

Lastly — but perhaps most importantly — Harris must embrace a positive, hopeful vision of the future, especially for the future of younger Americans. Trump’s negativism should be a political weakness, not a strength. The most successful politicians in American history, like Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan, embraced a future-oriented vision of economic growth that benefits all Americans, even as we retain and uphold our moral leadership in the world at large. This expansive, generous-minded vision for a brighter American future not only appeals to America’s instinctive optimism, it will be crucial to undermining the appeal of Trump’s dark and manipulative grievance politics.

Because Kamala Harris has become the Democratic nominee in such an unusual manner, it is uniquely vital that she directly appeal to Americans of all political persuasions, especially political moderates and conservatives. If she has the strength and wisdom to reach out to all Americans as a unifying figure, she can not only defeat Donald Trump but also create the political support needed to help heal our divided nation and address the many important issues that challenge us.

Paul Bledsoe served as a staff member in the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, the Interior Department, and the White House Climate Change Task Force under former President Bill Clinton.

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