In some cases, they ran in districts that were already heavily Republican, often due to gerrymandering. They won because any Republican would have won.

If other Republicans ran in the primaries, they won the primary by exciting the primary voting base. Far fewer people vote in primaries, and they tend to be engaged in hype, and MAGA is all hype based propaganda based on fear and anger. That excites Republican primary voters.

The few that defeated incumbent Republicans did so through the hate and fear angle, because it works. It is a successful fascist playbook, as shown throughout history.

So basically they mostly won for the same reason Trump won in 2016, fascist propaganda stoking fear. They promised to solve all the problems they made up about the groups they blamed.

The whole Ohio immigrants eating pets is just the same thing, dialed up to 11.

[–] Bertuccio 31 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

This is also why you vote in the primary of the party with the candidates you like least.

If you view any candidate in party A as better than every candidate in party B, you need to vote in party B's primary so the best candidate for you will make it to the general election. Then even if party A loses the general election you still get the candidate you like most from party B.

This was a key strategy for black people in the south to get the least racist Democrats into office. It's basically ad hoc ranked choice voting and it reduces the power of extremists.

[–] shalafi 14 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Depending on the state, one may not have that option.

[–] halcyoncmdr 10 points 1 month ago

Arizona has a ballot initiative this year to force open primaries if the party wants any state election funding assistance.

Of course all the parties are against it. Bipartisan disapproval for a citizen ballot initiative usually means it's in the citizen's interest.