It can happen in primaries too, yes. But if your preferred candidate loses the primary, you can still vote for the candidate who does win the primary in the general election, so it is generally safer to voice your real opinion in the primaries rather than vote strategically.

[–] Arcanepotato@crazypeople.online 8 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I guess what I don't understand is how the candidates in the general election can be so unpalatable if the primaries are the place where people can ask for what they really want.

[–] dubs@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Because the Democrats spend more time fighting leftists, then they do fighting the Republicans. Check out the recent DSA elections: Democrats spent a bunch of time and energy fighting against them.

Additionally, the Democrats fight tooth and nail to keep third parties off of the ballots. They also spend a bunch of effort saying that things like "not bombing kids" or "medicare for all" are unreasonable, or unrealistic, to keep people from thinking that 3rd parties are viable.

[–] Arcanepotato@crazypeople.online 7 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

I can see why my wording was confusing when taken out of context. If you go up a few levels you can see that we are saying the same thing. Or at least I think?

I asked when do people get to push back against the lesser evil, and someone said the primaries. What you were responding to here was me saying I don't see how that's possibly true if the primaries keep spitting out people who have no interest in being even slightly less evil.

[–] dubs@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 days ago

Totally. I was just expanding on what you were pointing out. We are in agreement :)