As the election season shifts into high gear and the tenor of the campaigns continue to rise, Americans are searching for clarity and guidance more than ever. UBS is committed to helping clients understand the most critical issues and their impact through preeminent thought leadership, diverse points of view and in-depth investment research.

At our recent ElectionWatch event in Miami, FL, Brad Smithy, Southeast Division Director, UBS Wealth Management Americas, acknowledged the significance of Florida’s role in the election as not only a prominent battleground state but also where “many of the country’s hottest political debates play out right here in our front yard.”

He introduced former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, who spoke with Bob McCann, Chairman UBS Americas, on the state of the elections and the future of America.

Bob McCann led an engaging discussion with the former Senators who shared their perspective on the deciding factors of an unpredictable presidential election, how to fuel economic growth through investing in infrastructure and why strong U.S. leadership and bipartisanship are critical to America’s future success.

On the value of having strong U.S. leadership, former Senator Lott remarked, “People want leadership. I think they want somebody to tell them the truth, even though they disagree.” Former Senator Daschle offered that a productive, bipartisanship working relationship could be restored in Washington through better chemistry—especially between Congress and the president. “We are lacking in dialog, communication and trust. This needs to change, along with building a clear vision and positive message,” he said.

The former Senators ended the conversation on an optimistic note, pointing out that despite challenges, America has always proven its ability to succeed. After meeting a group of young leaders, former Senator Lott remarked that, for all of America’s challenges, “We’re going to be fine. We’ve got a problem right now, but we created it. But I believe we will solve it too.”

Former Senator Daschle echoed this optimism, arguing that “We’ve been charged with keeping this republic now for over 220 years, and that’s really our charge. We can’t afford to let somebody else do this. I hope that’s what this election is all about—keeping this republic strong.”

To understand how these trends could impact your investment portfolio, connect with your UBS Financial Advisor or find one.