It is often said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. Ancient Rome copied the classical Greeks. Julius Caesar copied Alexander the Great. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen of the French Revolution was a copy of the American Declaration of Independence.

In contemporary American politics, you would think that Republicans and Democrats would be so far apart ideologically that they would not want to copy anything from the opposing party. The two sides don’t even seem able to acknowledge that the other side might have some good ideas.

But that’s not entirely true. Let’s think back to the rainy November evening in 2021 when Glenn Youngkin shocked Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe and won the governorship of Virginia.

Youngkin used a unique strategy to focus on independent voters in the suburbs rather than the devout MAGA base.

His victory was and still is huge. Prior to his election, no Republican had won statewide in Virginia in twelve years. Instead of doubling down on partisan warfare, Youngkin presented himself to voters as someone who came from modest means and who ended up washing dishes after his father lost his job. Furthermore, he effectively communicated how his subsequent successful business career could translate into a fruitful board career.

Since Barack Obama won the Commonwealth in 2008, Virginia hasn’t looked back. The state, which was red in 2004, turned solidly blue over the last few election cycles, largely due to population growth in the Washington, D.C., metro area.

But Youngkin’s electoral success turned out to be a perfect way to overthrow a contested state or win in a difficult “purple” area. He dropped the overt partisanship and focused on the issues that mattered to voters. It didn’t matter what the Republican Party and Donald Trump did; Youngkin was determined to present himself as fiscally responsible and as a common-sense solution to political dysfunction.

Let me be clear: this message and strategy wouldn’t necessarily work in a deep-red state like Alabama or Wyoming. But in the light blue state of Virginia, this tone was perfect.

Although it was a Republican who cracked the code for flipping a state, Democrats are now also using this strategy – for example in the purple states of Nevada and Michigan. Both Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.) are running effective ads that downplay their partisan loyalty to Democrats and instead portray them as everyday Americans willing to put issues first. put before partiality.

Recently, there have been some major developments in Kamala Harris’ campaign staff. After replacing President Biden as top executive, Harris has significantly expanded her staff, bringing a slew of high-profile Obama veterans into senior advisory roles. These additions to her campaign are game changers because they have first-hand experience crafting a winning message.

Remember Barack Obama’s rapid ascension to the presidency in 2008? At the time, 66 percent of under-30s voted for Obama, widening the gap between young voters and other age groups than in any presidential election since exit polls began in 1972.

The millennial voters who were part of Obama’s coalition are now in their 30s and 40s and living in the suburbs. These are ground zero for today’s election, and they are a major reason why Youngkin won Virginia in 2021.

This demographic is more right-wing on budget issues, but they aren’t exactly ready to identify as Republicans due to the right’s perceived toxicity on issues like abortion.

The suburban demographic is exactly who Youngkin could pick up en route to his 2021 election victory. That’s who Rosen and Scholten are targeting in their purple states. Any electoral strategy today must resonate with these voters. But so far, only Democrats seem willing to adjust their language and message to reach these people.

Republicans have a shining example of how to carry these tough purple districts that ultimately determine the outcome of elections these days. They need to drop the culture wars and focus on important issues like affordability. But so far it doesn’t seem like they’re willing to do that.

Polls from the Independent Center last November showed that among political independents, a candidate who works with both sides of the aisle had a 72 percent favorability rating. In addition, a candidate who was not affiliated with the Republican or Democratic parties received a favorability rating of 63 percent.

Do you want to know how to flip or win a state in a purple area? Take a page from the Youngkin playbook and abandon overt partisanship in favor of common sense. The winners of this election will be those who follow this model.

Adam Brandon is a contributor to the Independent Center.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming video, visit The Hill.