political strategy

[brewer]

cheers, Brewer!

at the other two replies I have to ask. if you're in a solid red district in a solid red state, in an election cycle where quite frankly where democrats have zero chance, what do you do?

I've actually seen election cycles where there wasn't even a democratic challenger in my district, leaving the GOP candidate to run in the general unopposed.  

and in the general you can vote however you want regardless who you are registered with.

so even if I grant you that it might not work, I certainly don't see how it hurts either. I think right now, its more likely a moderate republican could feasibly win vs AOC in Oklahoma.

and to the point about moderate republicans being spineless and more worried about winning elections, well if they see they can win without having to pander to alex jones, they might come back from crazy town. I mean we'd still disagree about economic policy but they at least wouldn't think forest fires are caused by space jews.

but even if they don't, what harm is caused by people in solid red districts strategically gaining access to the only election that matters in their solid red district/state, the republican primary?

if I am a republican or democrat, I can vote democrat in the general, assuming there's even one running in my district and believe it or not, as I mentioned above,  I've seen elections where the GOP candidate ran unopposed because my district is so lopsided, nobody wanted to even waste their time running as a democrat here.  

if I'm a democrat I have access to the democratic primary if there is one to pick which candidate I want to see go on to lose the general.

if I'm a republican I can vote in their primary and have some say in who goes on to win the general.

if its an alex jones clone winning the primary, they'd have won anyway regardless of my registration.

if its a moderate who wins because there's enough moderate republicans left combined with democrats who switch parties in solid red districts, even if they're by nature spineless and opportunistic, they'd take note of their new voter base and have incentives to vote accordingly. and if they don't well we're back in the same boat we would have been in regardless.

so I can see how my plan might help, I can see your point about how it might not work, but I don't see how it hurts anything either. nor does it seem to be in conflict with longer term goals like convincing people to change their minds on their political beliefs or amending our broken system in many ways to ensure it better represents us all.  it just gives a possible solution for folks like me in solid red districts who otherwise sees no other immediate options at my disposal.

do keep in mind I'm referring specifically to deep red states and districts.  I'm not suggesting people in purple or blue districts do this, and also if you're in a place that allows open primaries, its a moot point for you anyway how you register.

I used to live in a red district/red state, almost all the ward-city-county-state candidates were republicans. Not getting a choice in the primaries was not an option.

Now I live in a purple district/red state but still most of the candidates are republican. We'll see 0/1 dem to 3 or more pubs on the ballot. So even though purple is still comes down to choice. The nice thing about being registered republican is that I get all republican candidate positions in the mail/email prior to the election. Helps cut down on the research. 

More often than not I still vote republican at the district/city/county/state level, that's where the talent is. Historically federal has been different.