I’m not disagreeing with you, but instead of worrying about "spoiler" votes, they could focus on having strong enough candidates that don’t need to fear third-party competition.
Maybe the margins wouldn't be so thin if they had strong enough candidates though. Many people, myself included, vote based on who best matches our values.
And for me, and many others, that's a third party.
You're assuming that only one side knows how to find strong candidates.
If both sides have strong candidates, then you would expect thin margins. And "strong" doesn't mean "maximally appeals to you". It means "appeals, at least a little, to the maximum number of voters".
You can of course vote for whoever you want. But 30+ years ago third party candidates could get 5% or even 15% of the vote. Since 2000, a third party candidate has only gotten over 2% once (2016). That suggests major party candidates have gotten stronger over the years.
But if you announce that you’re not concerned about a Trump victory, then the rest of us are free to judge you for it.
Friend, I've been judged for voting third party ever since I joined Lemmy.
Honestly, many of the hateful remarks I’ve received have only strengthened my resolve that I’m doing the right thing by not voting for the Democratic Party.
Claiming that a third-party voter has more in common with a MAGA hat wearer is a false equivalence; the motivations and values of third-party voters are often rooted in a desire for greater representation and change.
Unlike MAGA supporters, third-party voters are typically pushing against a system they see as broken, rather than endorsing extremist or regressive policies.
If I wanted to vote for Trump, I'd vote for Trump.