From the Highlands of Scotland to the lively streets of Dublin, Donna Brazile enjoyed a pleasant trip through the United Kingdom and Ireland this summer.

It turned out to be the calm before the storm.

Not long after the renowned author, leading Democratic strategist and chair of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board returned to the United States, “all hell broke loose,” she said.

ASI President/CEO Tim Andrews; Donna Brazile, author, leading Democratic strategist and chair of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board; Will Hurd, a former U.S. House Representative, CIA officer and AI expert.

Brazile was of course referring to the tumultuous political developments that occurred stateside this summer, including the assassination attempt on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump as well as President Joe Biden dropping out of the race for the nation’s highest office.

With the presidential race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris close and so much cloudiness in the political picture, it can be difficult for business leaders in the print and promotional products industry to get a handle on things and plan ahead for their companies.

To help provide clarity on where things stand, where they may be going and what to do, ASI held a webinar featuring Brazile and Will Hurd, a former U.S. House Representative, CIA officer and AI expert. The duo are the keynote speakers at the ASI Power Summit, a three-day immersion into networking, education and innovation for promo industry leaders that’s being held October 13-15 at the Rancho Bernardo Inn, San Diego, CA.

Will Hurd and Donna Brazile joined ASI President/CEO Tim Andrews on a webinar this week that previewed the political experts’ upcoming keynote at the ASI Power Summit.

The webinar, moderated by ASI President and CEO Tim Andrews, touched on several topics, including what business leaders should be doing to plan and properly prepare amid all the uncertainty over America’s political future.

Hurd said it will be pivotal to diversify supply chains to reduce risk from tariffs and geopolitical disruption, noting that regardless of who is the next president, U.S. trade policy will probably look similar to what it’s been under both Trump and Biden. Leaders should make investing in and retaining talent a top priority while also strengthening their technology position, as doing so can be a hedge against labor shortages, Hurd said.

The big divergence between Trump and Harris is on potential tax policy, said Hurd, as Trump-era tax cuts are up for renewal, which can impact businesses depending on how things go. “Think through the multiple scenarios if you’re doing a major capital outlay or investment because the tax policy could be very different,” said Hurd. “You’ve got to make sure and think through what those two worlds may be.”

Meanwhile, Brazile and Hurd discussed what Harris and Trump must do to win the election.

The race will likely be decided by about six or seven swing states, with “five to six voters per precinct in those battleground states” having the ability to sway the result, said Brazile.

“[Business owners should] think through the multiple scenarios if you’re doing a major capital outlay or investment because the tax policy [under Trump or Harris] could be very different.” Will Hurd, Former U.S. Congressman

For Harris, it will be important to leverage what Brazile described as her considerable $540 million war chest to “expand the electorate,” motivating young voters to get to the polls and galvanizing women so that they come out to vote in greater numbers, the Democratic strategist said. Painting a clear picture of how her administration will ease the inflation strain on everyday Americans will also be key.

“She’s going to have to convince the American people that she’s the future and Donald Trump is the past,” said Brazile.

Hurd said the charge is similar for Trump. While he should emphasize what went well during his previous administration, Trump must talk about what his potential second-term administration would do differently than the Biden/Harris administration to make America more prosperous, keep the country safe and ease the price pressure on middle class families. It will also be a smart tactic to tie the current problems the nation is facing to Harris/Biden, Hurd said. Harping on past grievances isn’t a smart approach for Trump, the former congressman maintained.

“Trump’s organization is better than it was in 2020 or 2016,” Hurd stated. “They’re trying to build the apparatus around him, but the candidate has to make sure that he’s talking about the future and addressing the concerns that Americans are feeling.”

“Harris is going to have to convince the American people that she’s the future and Donald Trump is the past.”Donna Brazile, Democratic Strategist

Both Hurd and Brazile agreed it will be pivotal for each candidate to court voters who may be on the fence. Can Trump win back individuals who voted for him in 2016 but not in 2020? Can Harris convince the undecided she’s up for the job? Both campaigns will be working around the clock over the next two months to answer both those questions.

“There are a couple of undecided voters out there – maybe 5-6% of the electorate,” said Brazile. “I would focus on them versus trying to spend time defending the past. Instead, look to the future and the American people will, I think, declare the victor to be the person who comes across as presidential.