Most people in this country are just simple people with straight forward issues. They are not dumb and see everything for what it is.
The Ross Perot approach is the best approach. Don’t lie or try to fudge the truth in any way. Just straight answers to questions, good and bad. Ignore all the mud slinging when the other party does it. Tell us simply, what is the plan, how are you going to do it, how much it’s going to hurt, and what are the benefits. Give the voters someone to VOTE FOR, instead of “vote for me because I’m slightly less bad”.