I love this ticket

Tickets are about chemistry, energy, and contrast, not issues.

I didn’t plan on writing today, but I can’t help myself. I love this ticket of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz and I want to explain and defend it. The excitement and chemistry is palpable. The rally yesterday in Philadelphia was not only exhilarating to watch but a sharp contrast to the dark, disjointed Trump events. Democrats have an enthusiasm not seen since Obama’s run in 2008. Let’s hope it sticks.

While I’m excited that Harris chose Walz, other people apparently weren’t. Several left-leaning pundits bemoaned Walz as an “unforced error.” In their reckoning, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro was the only right choice, because they believe Pennsylvania is the whole ballgame in the electoral college fight. They’re just wrong.

Harris needed balance on the ticket. Walz is an everyman whose life story reflects those of many Americans. He was a high school history teacher and football coach who went to public universities and served in the reserves to pay for college. Shapiro has spent his life in politics since going to work on Capitol Hill after graduating from Georgetown Law School. While he’s a talented and attractive politician, his greatest appeal is Pennsylvania. Walz will play much better in the Upper Midwest as well as North Carolina and Georgia. Finally, Shapiro’s background mirrors that of Harris while Walz’s resume compliments hers. Walz broadens the ticket in a way that most other options would not.

The naysayers act like Harris just surrendered Pennsylvania, but that’s absurd. Shapiro and Senator John Fetterman will be on the campaign trail working hard to deliver the state for the ticket as well as re-elect Senator Bob Casey. According to Politico, the Harris team said that polling indicated that having Shapiro on the ticket didn’t significantly alter the race in the state. Walz, with his pro-labor record and blue collar personae, certainly isn’t going to hurt her there. Shapiro showed his support and commitment to the ticket in a stemwinder of a speech before Harris and Walz took the stage when the obvious chemistry between them underscored why Harris made her choice.

Other Democrats believe that Walz is too progressive for the ticket. As governor of Minnesota, he oversaw a state that moved left after Democrats took control of the legislature. But nothing Walz did is far outside of the mainstream and most has broad support. If anything, he shows what a Democrat-controlled Congress and White House can do. He protected access to abortion care, provided meals to school children, passed background checks and “red flag” laws supported by law enforcement, legalized pot, and provided paid family and medical leave. All of that has broad appeal. His controversial record includes drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants and supporting gender affirming care. There’s nothing that’s indefensible.

All of that said, this election is not going to hinge on Walz’s record. Who he is has far more relevance to the race than what he’s done. He comes across as folksy and down-to-earth, relatable to blue collar voters. Painting a high school teacher from a small town who served as an enlisted man in the National Guard as a raging liberal is a tough sell because it’s not very believable. Besides, elections are rarely about issues or positions. They’re decided by less tangible factors based more emotional appeal than intellectual responses. Walz rounds out a ticket that provides a sharp contrast to Trump-Vance. That’s what matters.

Never-Trumpers also believe that Walz is too liberal. They are bemoaning the choice with which they’ve been left. They don’t want to vote for Trump and Vance, but complain that Harris choosing Walz makes supporting the Democratic ticket difficult for conservatives because of his progressive record. But Democrats don’t owe them anything. And while their votes would be helpful, keeping them from voting for Trump matters almost as much as actually earning their vote. If they end up voting for Trump, they were probably going to do that regardless of the VP.

Finally, Republicans have been trying to claim that Harris choosing Walz shows an underlying antisemitism in the Democratic Party. In fact, it lays bear the contrast between Democrats and Republicans. The future first First Gentleman, Doug Emhoff is Jewish. So are Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Attorney General Merrick Garland, several other cabinet secretaries, nine Democratic Senators, and 24 Democratic Congressmen. In contrast, there are no Jewish Republicans in the Senate and only two in the House. Again, the Democratic Party is a reflection of America. The Republican Party is not.

Democrats have shown for three election cycles in a row that they can win. They just need the enthusiasm and motivation to get across the line. With Biden on the ticket, younger voters and African Americans were becoming apathetic. With Harris and Walz, their engagement is measurable in volunteer signups and low-dollar contributions. The low-information swing voters who will ultimately determine the election are far more likely to be influenced by a campaign that’s got energy and excitement than a debate over Walz’s record as governor.

This ticket has the ingredients to win. They have chemistry, novelty, and excitement. The polls are trending toward Harris and the Trumpists are melting down. Harris and Walz will enjoy a few more days of good press and then the Democrats will hold their convention in Chicago. If the rally in Pennsylvania is any indication, it’s going to be a helluva party. Harris made the right choice. You can feel it in the air.

Let’s go.