David Frum

It seems to me, and again, I'm looking at this from outside, but the theory of the National Democratic Party is the way you hold together a coalition is you find candidates who give the progressives what they want on the issues, but have some biographical element that in theory should appeal to non-progressives.

And that's how Tim Walz found himself Harris's running mate in 2024.

He's very, very progressive on the issues, but former football coach, and he had this kind of

shuffling dad from a TV comedy show demeanor, and so he would, the biography, the physical presence would appeal to the center and the right, but the positions would appeal to the left, result, failure.

You can't blame it all on him, but it obviously didn't work.

And there seems to be some similar theory about Tallarica, which is he's very liberal on the issues, much more so than you were in 2018, but he speaks a lot about religion, he's a seminarian, and the theory of the case is that

by talking about religion and his background in seminary, that will offset the issues.

He's a much more refined version of the Tim Walz proposition, but it's the same proposition.

And what do you think of that theory?

Well, not to speak for you, but isn't the difference, to put it a little crudely, that your message in 2018 was actually, if anyone cared to look, moderate content, but a progressive affect, whereas Tallarico is trying to do it the other way around.

I had a chance to talk a little while ago to a member of the House of Representatives who was a Democrat who had won in a Republican-leaning seat.

And I was able to ask him, so what's the secret?

What did you do that broke through?

And he said, I ran my race for the House as if I was running for mayor of my district.

Every water project, every bridge, every bad pothole, I knew them all.

I knew the leader of every community group, every chess club, every church.

I ran as if for mayor.

And he ran on very local issues.

He had strong national views, but he ran on local issues and won.

Now, does that formula work for the Senate?