But in message especially he's the anti Reagan (though he DID literally steal Make America Great Again from Reagan's campaign). Reagan was all sunny optimism. "Shining City on a Hill" vs "American Carnage." both met the zeitgeist quite well, Reagan far more universally, understandably.
He didn’t steal the slogan- The Heritage Foundation sponsored both campaigns. And neither are what their facade pretends. Appreciating the distinctions as more a product of changing the dressing for a different context/audience.
All fair points. Still, we were talking about "strong candidates," meaning strictly voter appeal, in which case the dressing/packaging is relevant to the conversation.