The Washington Post: 54% of the country didn’t vote for Trump. For Democrats, that’s a start.

FIX: First of all, thanks for doing this.

You were one of the few “feel good” stories for Democrats in the 2016 election. You ran WAY ahead of Hillary Clinton and almost knocked off Roy Blunt. So, let’s start basic: How did you do it? What was the one big lesson you learned about how to appeal to voters as a Democrat running in a GOP-leaning state? And how much did the Democratic brand nationally hurt your chances?

I’ve got a bunch more questions but let’s start there.

Kander: I’ve run statewide in Missouri twice and always substantially outperformed the top of the ticket — once in a win and once in a very close loss. For me, the lesson has always been to make sure voters know what you really believe and make sure you communicate with every voter. They’ll forgive you for holding an opinion they don’t agree with as long as they know you’re genuine and you include them in your vision. Doing things right in politics is no different than doing things right in life: Tell the truth, be yourself.

FIX: Okay! But “be yourself” isn’t a national party platform, right? Are there policies that you think the Democratic Party can — and should — affirmatively unite behind? Or is that a thing of the past, and each candidate needs to run his/her own campaign?

Also, the “tell the truth, be yourself” thing — at least the “be yourself” part — sounds a lot like how Donald Trump ran for the presidency, right?

Kander: I’m a Democrat because I want every American to have a fair shot at the American Dream. That’s what ties it all together for me, and in my experience, that means recognizing that no one is dealing with life one “issue” at a time. I’ve stood in rooms in urban, rural and suburban parts of my state and asked a room of middle class voters to raise their hands if the college debt of someone in their family is affecting their financial situation. Without exception, at least three quarters of the room will raise their hand. Parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts, all affected by it. And then when you talk to the kids, you learn fast that minimum wage isn’t enough to get by and go to school. And if you’re in a small town, it affects the whole town, because those kids rarely come home after finishing school if the only chance they have to pay down their debt is going to come from the salary they can earn in a major urban area. So, since you asked about platform, I just believe it’s about recognizing that progressive solutions are solutions for every American regardless of how much they make, what color they are, or where they live. So while some people think taking our argument to everyone means moderating or acting like Republicans, I don’t agree. I think it’s about unapologetically making the argument that lifting up people you don’t know lifts you up, too. That’s what I mean by being yourself.