Photo: Win McNamee / Getty Images News / Getty Images
By Chris Ryan
Vice President Kamala Harris began her campaign a joyful exuberance, and will conclude it with a deathly seriousness that her opponent, former President Donald Trump will end our experiment in democracy
For Harris to win, the election needs to be about Trump and his negatives.
We've already seen the framing of democracy over fascism with a backdrop of Trump's former Chief of Staff John Kelly speaking about his views of what a second Trump term would look like, and his concerns that it would include a thirst for unchecked power.
However, many Americans don't share those concerns, and with the devaluing of expert opinions and first hand knowledge many just view Kelly's and other warnings as an election year gimmick and white noise.
Hell, they lived through the first Trump term, world's still turning and they kinda, sorta remember lower grocery prices.
Plus, Americans have heard democrats cry wolf about previous opponents. Seems like every race for the last 25 years in New Hampshire has featured the dem candidate running against the "out of touch", "EXTREME" Republican. Folks have heard it all before, things have turned out decent enough in their view.
Trump feels like a known commodity. Say a lot of things you disagree with to generate attention, but that the economy will thrive, the border will be closed, and our enemies will be paralyzed by his unpredictable behavior on the world stage.
There is a clarity to his message.
The same can't be said for Harris.
Right now the vibe is that no one really knows what she's going to do, and what her administration will accomplish. They don't know whether or not her policies will continue the chaos we've seen across the globe.
There is a nostalgia for the first three years of the Trump presidency, the last year cost him reelection.
Biden promised a stability, then a transition. But, the world feels more chaotic and the nation more divided as a result of his inability to communicate effectively and inspire confidence his ability to lead.
You know what you have in Trump, and to enough voters, that may be acceptable. They felt safer and that their financial situation was better.
Chris Ryan is the host of New Hampshire Today on iHeart NH's news/talk stations from 6-9a weekdays. His "Trail Bites" column drops each week.