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Join NowHow to Outsmart the GOP
The Republican tried-and-true campaign strategy is fear. It’s a powerful and dangerous weapon when used to promote policies and candidates that want to limit Americans’ rights.
If you’re feeling scared and overwhelmed by the political landscape, that’s OK, and you’re not alone. Understanding how fear is being weaponized by Trump and the GOP can be the first step to gaining balance and not letting the fear control you.
We’re going to break down fear tactics, show you how to not let fear sway your decisions, and share how you can embrace the energy of this election.
What fear makes us do and how Republicans use it to control the narrative and demobilize movements
According to a 2012 study, conservatives tend to focus on the negative and are more likely to see the world in terms of threats. It’s also been found that conservatives scare more easily, and according to psychologist Paul Nail from the University of Central Arkansas, conservatism can be a way for those who are easily scared to attempt to control the world based on their worldview.
Research shows that Republicans tend to be more afraid of the world and react to feelings of threats and fear by trying to enact control. Knowing conservatives operate out of fear—and, honestly, fear of losing power—we can see how fear-driven behavior can have long-lasting and drastic effects on our everyday lives, such as overturning Roe v. Wade and creating Project 2025.
Not only does fear control Republicans, but they incite it in an attempt to control others. Using fear to sway the masses can be done in a number of different ways. Campaigns will use fear to drive votes away from political opponents in addition to using fear to convince voters that Republicans are the best team to tackle a particular issue. For example, Donald Trump often says misleading statements and spreads misinformation about Vice President Kamala Harris and the Biden-Harris administration. In just one public event, Trump has lied about Harris’s ethnicity, her passing of the bar exam, and his involvement in Project 2025, which is crawling with former Trump aides.
This fear tactic plays into another GOP strategy, that “if someone is highly anxious about an election or candidate, they may avoid consuming any information about the candidate or the election,” according Leonie Huddy, PhD, professor of political science at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Avoiding information out of fear and anxiety can also cross over into avoiding voting and the election in general, something conservative lawmakers bank on as they continue to make voting harder.
So far, we’ve seen the classic fear-based strategies and fear-fueled agenda Trump and his conservative team have implemented: They spew misinformation about Democrats and Vice President Harris, they are afraid of the world so they attempt to control it, and they create such fear about democracy that voters may be feel discouraged and too afraid to vote.
Now that we’ve identified the low-hanging fruit from GOP campaign strategy, let’s get into how to not succumb to fear-based tactics.
How to not let fear sway you from engaging this election
If you’re experiencing fear while listening to Trump and JD Vance, understand that there is a strategic reason they’re saying what they’re saying. In this case, they’re scared of Harris’s popularity and ability to unite the Democratic Party. They are trying to discourage democracy, but don’t give them that power.
Fear can be motivating, but it’s important to know when fear is being used deceptively. For example, to incite fear, Trump often lies, and this can have a backlash effect as people are aware of his lies and overcorrect, leading to defensiveness.
When lies, conspiracy theories, and an overload of fearful information fills the media, remember to always look deeper. If you find a piece of news that is scary, fact-check it. If you find that you are being exposed to outlets that often fabricate information or post highly emotional content, lessen your exposure.
By knowing how fear is being weaponized to push alt-right agendas, you can start to outsmart the GOP and their efforts.
How Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party use hope to fight fear
The antidote to fear? Hope. While the Harris campaign accurately depicts the scary realities of a Trump presidency, using fear as motivation for voters, they also inspire hope. They don’t tear down opponents using playground bully strategies but discuss their plans for the future. With a slogan—“We Won’t Go Back”—and promises about restoring reproductive freedoms, protecting accessible health care, achieving gun reform, and more, there’s a lot to be hopeful for.
After announcing her candidacy, Harris raised $81 million in 24 hours, which is the largest fundraising effort in presidential history. There’s a reason for that: She inspires and she listens. With a history of fighting for all of us, Harris has the unique combination of empathy, grit, and “I’ve got this” decisiveness and confidence.
MoveOn members overwhelmingly voted to endorse Vice President Harris’s 2024 campaign because she has the experience, judgment, and vision to advance our people-first agenda and she has fired up our members.
Harris also recently selected Governor Tim Walz from Minnesota as her running mate. Walz has already captured Americans’ hearts through his work as a Minnesota Governor where he provided free school lunches to students, protected abortion rights, and expanded voting rights for formerly incarcerated individuals.
Another way to outsmart the GOP? Get involved!
MoveOn has a number of ways you can get involved to help Kamala Harris become president in November.
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