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Primary season is that time of the year when Democratic and Republican candidates work to earn the support of their base.
Many candidates in each party move further to the left or right of the middle during this time. Other candidates during the primary would rather craft their campaign to appeal to the middle in preparation for the general election in November.
Both tactics have advantages and disadvantages.
If you appeal to the furthest end of your party and win the primary, you risk losing the middle, which could lead to a loss in the general election.
If you try to win the middle, you could lose the primary and not make it to the general. Depending on your location in the state, this campaign decision could significantly impact your chances of winning.
The primary is the best way to get to know the candidates. Many candidates are running for the first time, and the primary gives them the chance to introduce themselves and their platform to voters.
More important, it allows the candidate to learn from the voters what issues are most important to them. This information allows the candidate to research those issues and work to offer possible solutions.
Now, I’m speaking to my Democratic family, because honestly Republicans are willing to ignore a global sex trafficking ring, racism, misogyny and homophobia to align themselves with a 34-count convicted felon and his grifting cronies to get elected, and therefore I have no respect for whatever position they hold.
But what I find disturbing among Democrats is that some are so ready to vilify their primary opponent versus elevating why they are the best choice for the office they seek. And that is after you consider most Democrats agree with one another about 75%-80% of the time on issues impacting everyday Hoosiers. So why the vitriol?
You don’t need to dismantle your primary opponent to create a contrast between yourself and them. And in a moment when elected and appointed politicians on the other side are so willing to sell us all out to line the pockets of oligarchs, we need to focus on why our policies are better for Hoosiers.
When a Democrat enters the general election having been called untrustworthy, out of touch or incompetent by members of their own party, it undercuts their ability to make those same arguments about the Republican.
It’s harder to prosecute the other side when your team has already filed some of the charges. Frankly, voters want to hear why you are the best candidate, not why you don’t like your opponent. They want to know how you plan to prioritize the needs of the people.
The Democratic coalition is broad; we don’t have the luxury of being a single-message party.
With communities like labor, Black voters, suburban moderates, young progressives, Latinos, etc., we must have the dexterity to speak to the needs of all of them while also acknowledging there is more that binds us than separates us.
Primary attacks that pit these groups against each other can create lasting resentment that makes coalition-building harder at exactly the moment the nominee needs to unify everyone.
As you begin to assess your ballots, think about which candidate talked about their opponent more than they talked about their plans for our future. Who is standing on truth and the needs of the people versus the need for likes, clicks and views.
We have the opportunity to change the direction of our country, and it starts with your vote.•
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Black is former deputy chairwoman for engagement for the Indiana Democratic Party
and a former candidate for the Indiana House. Send comments to [email protected].
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