GREGORY RUSOVICH
Guest Writer
rusovich@lbknews.com
Neither the Trump nor the Harris campaign is making any legitimate outreach to win the 
support of centrist, swing voters. Instead, both actually are snubbing this relatively small, but crucial middle. Their singular and insular strategy is to energize and turn out base voters. This decision to give undecided voters the big heave-ho is clearly reflected in the vice-presidential choice of each campaign.
Ignoring centrist swing voters is a relatively new phenomenon in presidential politics. Ron Faucheux, a leading political analyst and pollster, observes, “Historically, parties balanced the interests of reliable loyalists with strong appeals to wider audiences. This forced them to honestly consider the wants and needs of a broader swatch of Americans.” John F. Kennedy chose Lyndon Johnson as his running mate to attract Southerners who had strayed from the Democratic Party. Ronald Reagan picked George H.W. Bush for the No. 2 spot on the GOP ticket specifically to connect to centrist voters. But neither Trump nor Harris shows any inclination to meet historical norms.
Former President Trump had an ideal opportunity to galvanize the center by choosing former U. N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Such a rational, popular choice would have placed Trump in a commanding position heading into the election. Selecting Senators Marco Rubio or Tim Scott