op-ed

Joe Wagner and André Ory: Joy is the path to victory

By Joe Wagner and André Ory

There has been a fair amount of talk about how Vice President Kamala Harris’s optimistic, good-vibes campaign approach does not constitute a real or winning strategy. But, as two senior Democratic strategists who saw the joy firsthand at the DNC last month, we have to disagree: we think joy absolutely can and will be part of Harris’s path to victory

People like to be part of a winning team. They like to root for a winning team. And when victory seems within grasp, they are more likely to push harder to get across the finish line. “When we fight, we win” only works if people are motivated to fight. 

After attending the DNC, it is clear to us that the convention played its role in motivating all of us for the fight ahead. This convention was all about optimistic messages, including reclaiming the mantles of patriotism and freedom that for decades have been appropriated by the right wing. It was wild – and heartening – to be in an arena full of liberals chanting “USA! USA!” We don’t think anyone had that on their bingo cards at the beginning of this year. But Democrats truly feel that they are fighting for this country and its promise of opportunity, freedom, and safety for all. 

The Democratic Party’s top messengers themselves were just as inspiring. While Harris and Walz — a former prosecutor and a gun owner, respectively – are not stereotypical progressives, their vision for the country aligns with progressive priorities. From reproductive freedoms to gun control, and from affordable housing to equitable taxation, Harris, Walz, and all the DNC messengers delivered what broad swaths of the electorate needed to hear. They spoke about values and personal experience — because nobody tunes in to a convention to hear policy details. They want to be convinced why to vote. 

Other speakers also aimed to bring a wide swath of potential voters into the fold. A key component of joy is empathy and connection – and the DNC’s speakers had that in spades. Walz, along with Michelle Obama and Tammy Duckworth, reflected the heartache of millions of people who turn to fertility treatments to create the families they desperately want. Infertility doesn’t discriminate along party lines; how many Republicans or Independents as well as the Democratic faithful saw themselves in those speakers? And how many of those potential voters realized that those speakers see them, know them, and want to help them?

People don’t vote out of fear; they vote for a vision. They vote for candidates who give voice to their dreams and a way around their challenges. They vote for candidates who they believe understand what they want, need, and believe. They vote for hope in the future. 

That’s why, pushing back on some commentators’ opinions, we think joy is a good strategy – if its energy is translated into proper organizing on the ground. It is especially true when compared to the other side: the ebullience of reclaiming our American identity with a progressive vision for the future was a stark contrast to the strident, fear-mongering tone of the RNC last month which, as we had noted, showed that the MAGA, as the anti-freedom party, is here for the long haul. 

Sure, there were plenty of attacks on Trump at the DNC, but many of them were couched in the humor and joy that defined this convention. While fearful of what Trump could do if elected, Democrats are no longer scared of him. They masterfully turned Trump’s words against him, from Michelle Obama’s jibe about the presidency becoming “one of those Black jobs” to the many speakers who derided his obsession with crowd sizes. This is the same approach Harris should adopt during her debate with Trump tomorrow by doubling down on her DNC framing of him as an “unserious man.”

While the DNC was a star-filled, national event that was by all accounts a tremendous success, the essential work of voter turnout that must happen ultra-locally still lies ahead of us. From debate watch parties to rallies, and from canvassing neighborhoods to local information about voting options, Democrats must capitalize on the marquee moments that are left between now and November. 

Bottom line: The race is about to get ugly in that both sides will be attacking each other with every negative message they think will work. But if Democrats can harness all of the joy and positive energy coming out of the DNC to mobilize and persuade the voters that haven’t yet decided in must-win, battleground states, then we like their chances when all the votes are counted. 


With decades of experience working with campaigns, coalitions, and advocacy groups between them, Joe Wagner now serves as Chief of Political Advocacy at Fenton, and André Ory serves as a Senior Vice President.

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