How Many People Decide On Their Primary Vote
For many Democrats, voting in primaries is an important part of their participation in politics. Even though only a small percentage of voters shows up at the polls on primary day, even in a presidential election year, those primary voters are more involved than the bulk of voters who only vote in the general election. They know that primary elections are important, because they select the candidates who will appear on the general election ballot.
Because of that importance, Democratic primary voters tend to think about their vote. In some cases, they vote with their hearts for the candidate who they feel best represent their political views. It's often a fine line, since everyone on the primary ballot is a Democrat, so there's a lot of agreement with the entire slate of candidates. Differences between candidates are often only differences on a few issues.
There's another factor, too, that many primary voters consider. That factor is an assessment of the likelihood of a particular candidate to win in the general election. Not all primary voters think about this, but a great many do. They know that the candidate who wins the primary election will be facing a Republican opponent in the general election. For these primary voters, voting for a candidate who is likely to prevail is an important consideration.
It's not simple, and there's a lot of nuance involved with many people's primary votes. Democratic primary voters are generally thoughtful and intelligent. They weigh many factors into their vote. That's why they participate in primary elections. They may love one candidate's positions, but decided to vote for another candidate, based on an assessment of how that candidate will do in the general election. After all, if the Democrat doesn't win, they end up with a Republican in office. It's a factor in primary voting, and one that should not be ignored.
If you vote in primary elections, you know what I'm talking about. You take politics and elections seriously, so you think carefully about your vote. That's an excellent thing. Vote wisely and thoughtfully. That's my recommendation.
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that candidate has the biggest war chest and and can win the primary and seems to be willing to maintain the status quo. I'm going to vote for the one who I believe will do the most good for the people. 
I vote in every election, I have never missed one.
My main objection is to those who are making personal attacks against folks supporting specific candidates. And I also find it a bit strange why anybody would want to decide this number of months out, at the beginning of a campaign that will regretfully last interminable months and indeed started here even before the inauguration in 2013.
I understand the importance, MM, but do not understand why there is so much strife at this time. That is what I would like people to give a rest. Not discussion, per se.
For Christ sakes, Bernie's hair and Hillary the Goldwater girl? Who thinks those are valid arguments? Hell, in 1963 I went and saw Goldwater in Detroit.
Again. I meant no offense.
But ooohh boy the entertainment.
my candidate is BIG MONEY, and I am sure he\she\it will win
(Ok not if Bernie or Rand Paul pull this one, and for those who will get their hair on fire, both are running small donor campaigns)
and to be fair, go read other political sites. It is a hoot.
Take my words on this, I know.
On DU, we're discussing primaries non-stop in GD and in other forums and groups. Whenever someone tells me it's too early for me to post a thread on the primaries, I have to laugh. This thread is about thinking about primaries. Nowhere in it do I suggest who people should vote for. I simply explained how some people decide who to vote for and encouraged thoughtfulness.
Me? I'll be caucusing for Bernie Sanders on March 1 in Minnesota. Our actual primary is rather late in the cycle, so I'm not sure whose names will be on that ballot, but the caucuses are a simple straw poll. It only counts because delegates to district conventions are elected during them. At those district conventions, delegates to the state convention are elected. At the state convention, delegates to the national convention are elected. It all starts on March 1, 2016. I will certainly be a delegate to several district conventions, where I will also caucus for Bernie. I don't know if I'll be able to get elected as a delegate to the state convention, though.
So, I'm certainly thinking about this now. I'll continue to do that right up to our primary elections. At the local level, we're already discussing who candidates will be for a raft of legislative and other offices. The 2016 election process is already underway.
It is not too early to discuss any of this. So, I'll be doing that. So will those who are telling me it's too early for me to bring it up.
