Yes, you do.
Contrary to whatever you may believe the line has not yet shifted so far that the right is massive and independents are across that line. An election isn't going to be won by either side without winning over the middle and the way to win over old democratic voters is to take a lighter, friendlier approach so that the line gradually moves away from socialist positions and the democrats new blood becomes increasingly more socialist.
Doing anything else is just taking a gun and putting a bullet in your head because it will only backfire, like we're probably going to see in the mid-terms unless immigration optics manage to shift. Some people might not like the economy but former democrats and soft people don't like seeing the ugly side of immigration enforcement on live television or bodycams and those are the people you have to bring away from the left.