Live After Quit

Uncovering the Secret Behind Biden’s Election-Winning Strategies: What Republicans Are Missing

Since his first run for the U.S. Senate in 1972, Joe Biden has been an impressive survivor of several political campaigns and has exhibited an uncanny ability to win elections, often against formidable opponents. This past election surely dispelled any doubts as to his ability to pull off victory when no one expected him to do so. President Donald Trump had been polling favorably for several weeks and the national election system seemed so rigged in his favor, particularly in key swing states like Michigan and Pennsylvania, that few even questioned the outcome. Yet Biden won. And Republicans are understandably perplexed. The answer to the question of ‘how’ lies in understanding the obvious, but oft-forgotten, truth that Biden has actually been winning elections for decades, both on the local and national level. The key to Biden’s success, especially in this past election, was not just his formidable political skills, but his knack for knowing the right way to reach the public and build voter support. Biden used his long-standing personal brand to craft a message that appealed to a broad coalition of voters: blue-collar workers, minorities, independents, suburban women, and even Republicans who felt Trump had gone too far. It was a message of hope for a brighter future and a willingness to compromise. He also used his extensive network of longtime political contacts to build a strong ground team behind the scenes, hiring experienced, well-connected people all over the country who could get out the vote for him. And he made sure his surrogates were well-informed and passionate about his message. Simply put, Biden had the right combination of political skills and knowledge of the local political landscape that allowed him to get the distribution of electoral votes he needed. He was able to do this because he had deep knowledge of the communities he was appealing to and the local issues that mattered to them – information that most other candidates don’t have the time or resources to build. What Republicans don’t understand about how Biden wins elections is that he knows the intricacies of the system and has the special insight and knowledge of local politics that help him get the right combination of votes needed to win. Biden has achieved success in this election because he has the unique ability to know his audience, craft a message that resonates with them, and use it to build a coalition of voters who feel the same way. And it’s that coalition of voters that made all the difference in this election – and is likely to do the same in elections to come.