Why are Democrats boosting an extremist candidate challenging incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer in a Michigan primary election?
The Democrats have been using the same strategy in primary after primary. “Criticize” a fringe-y candidate for being “too conservative” in advertising intended to help that candidate with Republican primary voters — the ones who love to find the most conservative candidate.
While a lot of people have slammed the strategy for the possibility that it will lead to electing the very extremists whom Democrats deplore, there’s a legitimate case to be made for it in some instances. Democrats aren’t responsible for creating the problem of Republican voters who cast ballots for terrible general election candidates. Nor are they responsible for candidates willing to embrace unpopular policy positions in order to win primaries by appealing to those voters.
