The Game Has Changed, and Republicans Have to Recognize That to Avoid Disaster

Bonchie reporting for RedState 

With more than enough delegates pledged to Kamala Harris along with top Democrat endorsements from Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Hillary Clinton, and others, it seems all but inevitable. The current vice president will be the Democratic Party nominee following Joe Biden's decision to step aside. 

The immediate reaction from the right, including myself, was largely one of mockery. We posted the videos. We laughed at the memes. We pointed out that Trump still bests Harris in most polls. To be sure, there's nothing wrong with that. Everything said about her awkward, inauthentic presentation is true, and Trump is still the favorite based on the data we currently have. 

Still, there's a point where over-confidence begins to creep in, and it's starting to feel like Republicans have reached that point. That's not a call for panic. Not at all, but if you're only into people telling you how the election is already over and Harris is going to get crushed, you might want to not read any further. 

Let's start with the upcoming debate, or possibly debates if Donald Trump's announcement of wanting to do more than one holds. Is Harris a good debater? Having seen her throughout the 2020 Democrat presidential primary and in the general election, I don't think she's great. Heck, it was a now-famous debate answer by Tulsi Gabbard that essentially ended Harris' presidential campaign. 

With that said, it's important to remember that Harris is not an 81-year-old Joe Biden. She is not going to show up at a debate slurring her words, unable to articulate a point. You can expect her to show up well-rehearsed and ready to hit her marks. Her presentation will always reek of inauthenticity because that's who she is, but as long as she's coherent, the press will proclaim it the best debate performance in history. 

Now, let's talk about the other side of the coin. I may ruffle some feathers by saying this, but Donald Trump is not a great debater either. It was reported that he didn't even prepare for his debate against Biden, and at times it showed. Fortunately, Biden was imploding in front of everyone's eyes, and that was the story of the night. No one cared that Trump rambled at times and missed several points of attack that he really shouldn't have.

And why would they care? That debate ended Biden's presidential campaign. In the broader context, what was there not to like? Believing that will translate to a debate with Harris, though, is foolish and the kind of over-confidence that scares me. The vice president is not going to implode on the stage and start mumbling incoherently. She will have her talking points, and she will be ready to deliver them. 

How did Gabbard counter that during that debate in 2019? With a heavily researched and planned answer that took Harris' record apart in front of American voters. That's the kind of preparation Trump is going to need to land a knock-out blow. There won't be any softballs this time. 

Moving past that discussion, there's a lot of talk about Harris being a "DEI hire" and her sexual history, including her affair with Willie Brown that objectively launched her career. All of that is true. Biden pledged to make a woman vice president, and Harris' record and abilities would have never been enough had she been a white male. It is also simply a fact that Brown gave Harris two lucrative board positions and introduced her to all the power players in San Francisco. Without that, no one would know her name today. 

Could harping on that backfire by producing sympathy for Harris? Yes, it could. If you don't believe that, just look at how much sympathy Democrats have produced for Trump by overplaying their hand. It is possible to push too far and cause voters to recoil. It is not going to be enough to shout "DEI" over and over. Harris has a record, and that record must be meticulously and strategically taken apart for every American to see. 

Right now, I see a lot of Republicans thinking they can just meme their way to victory. That's far too online of a viewpoint. As I said earlier, I'm all for having fun, but beating Harris is going to take discipline and a well-planned political assault. In the short term, everyone should be prepared for her to start leading in some polls and a total reset of the national narrative. That's not coming from me. That's coming from Trump's own pollster.

The last big consideration is money. Biden was being strangled by donors. That has now ended with Harris at the top of the ticket. The cash is flowing, and if it hasn't already happened, Democrats are poised to pass up Republicans soon when it comes to total resources on hand. That alone is a major game changer. 

Yes, there will be an onslaught of ads, but more importantly, Democrats will now have the money needed to pay volunteers and build ground game infrastructure. Republicans can't just expect to do a few rallies in swing states and drive enough turnout any longer. It's going to take an incredibly well-organized effort to outdo Democrats on the ground. 

In short, this is going to be a dogfight. Two days ago, the election was all but over. Today, it's back to being a toss-up, albeit against a very flawed, very beatable candidate in Kamala Harris. If Republicans don't take the threat seriously and adjust to it, they could wake up on November 6th facing disaster.