In a few short months, primary voters will begin selecting the Republican presidential nominee. The two debates thus far have been underwhelming. A third is approaching on Nov. 8, but it, too, promises to be the kind of unhelpful event that lacks the virtue of at least being entertaining. Yet I’ll be watching — tuned in and deciding which candidate to support. I’m not a Republican, but I’ll play one on Super Tuesday, March 5.
As an independent myself in Colorado we get to pick which primary to vote in. Typically the Democratic Primary doesn’t have any impact, usually its individuals running unopposed. So I vote in the GOP primary and pick candidates that are most likely to lose to the Democrat. The GOP here might be the worst run in the nation. No funding, run by climate deniers, xovid deniers, conspiracy theorists, and morally corrupt individuals. Essentially Boebert types. The rural communities that vote in Republicans are the poorest parts of the state and refuse to change. Their representatives do absolutely nothing but collect a paycheck.
This would be a solid strategy if Boebert actually lost the election.
Yep. Republicans always see the big R and vote for it. They don’t give a shit about political beliefs. Believing they might not vote for R on the ballot is childish.
Democrats outnumber Republicans 4 to 1 in Colorado. Independents still make up 70% of voters. That means using this strategy typically puts a moderate on the ballot who draws in the most voters.
Obviously this screws over ultra left wing types but they don’t get independents voting for them either.
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Why do you hate strategic voting by independents? Do you think they shouldn’t be allowed to vote? Independent voters are doing exactly what George Washington intended.
“However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” SEPTEMBER 17, 1796
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Uncivil comments will be deleted.
I know I’m being a dick to you but I’m curious. Is this a DM? I’m obviously new to lemmy and I’m using boost only so I can’t tell if it is.
I’m honestly sorry for being so rude but you can’t assume Republican voters care about anything but the R next to a candidates name. It’s a childish assumption that yields extremely dangerous results. And the “I answer to no party” rethoric is dumb too. If your ideals line up with one of the two valid party’s you support that party.
I was just letting you know. Arguing is fine but community rules discourage uncivil behavior towards any community member. Insults, expletives towards members always results in a post being removed. It’s the most common reason for a comment getting removed actually.
Ok, noted.
I am being uncivil but only to show you who you are voting for. Doesn’t matter if it’s only a primary you are supporting those who openly hate you.
You might not like it, but Democrats used it to turn Georgia and Arizona blue. The conditions have to be right but left leaning Independents can absolutely torpedo GOP odds, but you have to weigh the numbers in your favor.
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/06/gop-primaries-chaos-democrats-243487
Yes it can, thanks for the example. The reality is it barely ever works and can (and does) backfire much worse by pushing the party further right. Which is why I believe it’s a horrible idea to ever try. Makes my inner Republican come out its box I tucked it into.
The problem is the great evil that’s waiting by even giving support in primaries for a party that wouldn’t blink at putting people in camps. I’ve heard multiple conversations from people who think they are moderate Republicans discussing putting homeless people into camps or just outright killing them all. It’s getting scarier than just supporting the bad candidates to maybe spoil the vote. These are people I barely know openly discussing killing a large group of people. Working in manufacturing exposed me to tons of yokels all over the country.
God damn this is stupid. I was raised Republican and will never be stupid enough to ever vote for one again. Your state is never safe from their absolutism. I live in Oregon and we almost lost all of our rights during our last election for governor. Yet some fucking idiots here are still complaining about how we handled COVID vs how a Republican literal Nazi would be a better governor. It’s absolutely insane how stupid people can be.
This is the primary, not the actual election. Independents get to choose which primary to vote in.
It doesn’t matter. Engagement with opposition stifles your own party. I was registered independent for a long time until I stopped being Republican.
Own party? What party do Independents belong to? None. They don’t owe a party any allegiance and don’t expect any in return.
You are picking a side by voting in the Republican primary. You are Republican because you picked one of their candidates. And like a stated elsewhere they will vote that person into office because they don’t give a shit about who the person is. If they are the chosen Republican candidate they will be in office, you are choosing to make their choice more extreme.
Your picking a side to disrupt and add weight to an unlikable candidate who will lose badly in the general election.
Republicans did this with Bernie Sanders hoping he would win not Hillary Clinton in 2016. It works better in local and state elections where you can organize the effort.
No you’re not.
The one circumstance when voting for a Republican is tenable: when all the candidates are Republicans.
The problem is, by this logic you would have helped trump win the election in 2016
In addition, this is actually helping to move the Overton window to the right - the very opposite of what we should be trying to achieve
Yep, this is basically propaganda.
In Colorado? No, 2016 we voted for Bernie in the Primary in Colorado. Keep in mind Colorado is deep blue, no Republican stands a chance outside of the wasteland area.
Can’t you participate and vote for a bland candidate as a democrat? You know, to undermine the opposing party. I have no idea if that’s the case btw – it’s a genuine question
It’s not that you can’t. It’s just that OP is proceeding on an unfounded assumption - that just by voting for what he considers the ‘worst’ Rep candidate, they’re guaranteed to lose. As we’ve seen with Trump, that’s not the case.
Trump lost in Colorado and this strategy has destroyed the GOP in the state. Colorado used to be a red state before independents figured out how to game the system.
Colorado was red until red came out and put the nazi flags back on in public display.
Colorado was red until TABOR arrived and everything went to shit because taxes couldn’t be used to build up the infrastructure.
I had a teacher who was jewish in nazi germany. Her family denied being jewish and hid all evidence that they were jewish and lived. I didn’t consider them cowards, i considered them smart (i know not all jewish people could get away with that. Not implying they were dumb.) I never thought i’d grow up and use that same strategy. I’m a liberal, but i’m registered as a republican cause i’m not worried about the democrats killing me and my family cause of the way i’m registered.
Totally disagree. Sitting down and hiding is what Republicans want, having been one. Be loud and teach them to sit back down. They are basically children and should be taught to STFU.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
The current field of Republican candidates offers a master class in making a comically complex decision tragically complicated.
Those who do vote in general elections often stick to partisan lines that track through a tangle of cultural, ideological and social markers.
Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie is reprising his role as decimator, a title earned with his one-liner daggers that hurried the demise of Florida senator Marco Rubio in 2016.
Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley’s talent seems to be catching the prevailing political wind, whatever direction it blows.
Her fellow Palmetto State politician, Sen. Tim Scott, is also a curious read, alternating between a compassionate conservative who thinks about inequality and a partisan foot soldier who hopes to prove his bona fides by trash-talking Democrats and progressives.
One idea is to assess candidates’ constitutional character, which Harvard political scientist Dennis Thompson describes as “the disposition to act” in pro-democracy ways by modeling “such qualities as sensitivity to basic rights, respect for due process in the broad sense, willingness to accept responsibility, tolerance of opposition, and most importantly a commitment to candor.”
The original article contains 891 words, the summary contains 183 words. Saved 79%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
So is this attempted ballot wrecking.
It’s democracy working as intended. Politics is dirty, losers stay clean.
