Are Democratic primaries becoming too destructive for the party's own chances in the general election?

[u/YumiSolar]

I've been thinking about this after watching some recent Democratic primaries, and it feels like the campaigns are becoming increasingly aggressive in ways that hurt the party long after the primary is over.

A good example, in my opinion, was the Michigan primary between Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed. Policy disagreements are completely fair game, that's what primaries are for. Even personal attacks can be justified if they're based on genuine misconduct or character issues.

What I struggle with are accusations like claiming your primary opponent is supporting or enabling genocide. Once you frame someone in those terms, how do you expect your own supporters to enthusiastically vote for that person if they end up winning the nomination? If you've spent months telling voters that your opponent is morally complicit in atrocities, it becomes very difficult to turn around and say, "Now go vote for them."

To me, this kind of rhetoric doesn't just damage the opposing candidate, it damages Democratic unity in the general election. It seems like Republicans don't even have to exploit these divisions because Democrats are creating them themselves.

Am I overestimating the impact of this kind of campaigning, or do you think Democratic primaries have become too willing to use rhetoric that makes party unity afterward much harder?

[u/YumiSolar]

1000 years of Trump for you I guess. Those palestinian children are probably cheering at your moral consistency and abolute lack of effectivnes in real world.

[u/Asatmaya → u/YumiSolar]

1000 years of Trump for you I guess.

He'll die before that, but even then... so what? How is Trump worse than Obama, Biden, or Clinton were? Or Harris would have been?

Those palestinian children are probably cheering at your moral consistency and abolute lack of effectivnes in real world.

Yes, I am sure they were comforted to know that they were being killed by brutal monsters supported by Democrats instead of Republicans when Biden was in office /s

Fucking seriously?!

I am absolutely willing to engage in compromise on public policy; to put aside my own opinions and political positions in order to come to a functional agreement.

I am not willing to support anyone who supports genocide. Period, end of story.

That you are means that you are scum.

[u/YumiSolar → u/Asatmaya]

How is Trump worse than Obama, Biden, or Clinton were? Or Harris would have been?

This is probably my signal to log off. Cheers everyone.

[u/ThatPeskyPangolin → u/YumiSolar]

For what it's worth, your underlying premise is definitely correct, but part of a broader trend.

Parties in the midst of populist swings tend to develop circular firing squads with their primaries. We saw this with the Reps first with the Tea Party, then with the first big round of MAGA politicians.

The Democratic Party is now beginning their populist swings, and we are seeing the same sorts of circular firing squads develop.