Tulsi Gabbard advises Trump to target Harris on 'hypocrisy' during debate preparation.

• Tulsi Gabbard, a former congresswoman, is now assisting Trump's campaign and advising him to target Vice President Kamala Harris's policy shifts during debates.
• In the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries, Harris and a Democrat from Hawaii had debating experience.
• Independent surrogates like Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who recently dropped out and endorsed Trump, enable the Republican campaign to portray itself as a haven for Democrats and defectors.

Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic representative who endorsed Donald Trump's campaign, is advising the GOP nominee to focus on Kamala Harris' policy shifts during their upcoming debate.

In a Sunday interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Gabbard stated that Harris has demonstrated a desire to distance herself from her past record and positions.

A small group of Trump advisers, including Gabbard, are assisting the former president in preparing for the Sept. 10 debate on ABC.

Despite Trump's campaign assertion that he does not participate in traditional debate rehearsals, Gabbard's firsthand experience in the 2020 Democratic primary contest makes her uniquely qualified to assist Trump in understanding what it would be like to debate Harris.

In the 2020 campaign, Gabbard highlighted her opponent's hypocrisy during a debate.

During a Democratic primary debate in July 2019, Gabbard launched a significant attack on Harris, pointing out that as a prosecutor, Harris had sentenced people to jail for marijuana offenses and arguing that Harris had not done enough to abolish cash bail.

Currently, criminal justice reform is a highly favored topic among Democratic voters during primary elections.

In five years, Republicans are hoping that Trump can replicate Gabbard's success in challenging Harris, but on different issues.

"On Sunday, Gabbard stated that Kamala Harris is attempting to conceal her true position from voters, as her actions and records contradict her stated position."

Her 2024 general election policies are more centrist than her 2019 Democratic primary platform, particularly on issues such as fracking and immigration.

Taking Gabbard's advice could carry risks for Trump, as well as potential rewards.

The former congresswoman from Hawaii frequently accuses the Biden administration of targeting "political opponents," including herself, and holds a conspiratorial view of how the administration exercises power, similar to Trump's perspective.

If Trump adopts conspiratorial themes during the debate, he may face legal issues or lose undecided voters.

Independent and Democratic defectors can find refuge in Trump's campaign, as surrogates like Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have endorsed him.

The Trump campaign has added Gabbard and RFK Jr. to its official transition team and is reportedly discussing potential cabinet positions for them if Trump wins the White House.