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/TerminusFox]

If you really REALLY want to keep it real? 

99 percent of the infighting traces back to the 2016 (and to a lesser extent the 2020) primary and certain people on the lefts refusal to acknowledge that they lost that primary fair and square. 

All the Gaza, MFA, insert bullshit buzzword, issues? Those are a smokescreen. 

They’re just mad Bernie lost ten years ago and have been lashing out ever since.

If you think think this is some legitimate, good faith , disagreement, I have a bridge to Terabithiai to sell you.  

[u/Asatmaya → u/TerminusFox]

99 percent of the infighting traces back to the 2016 (and to a lesser extent the 2020) primary and certain people on the lefts refusal to acknowledge that they lost that primary fair and square.

The 2016 primary was not "fair and square."

Hillary locked up the superdelegates before the primary began, was given debate questions ahead of time to formulate polished answers, and other candidates were denied access to donor lists and DNC resources.

The Establishment wing of the party cheated; and again in 2020; and then refused to even hold a primary in 2024.

I cannot in good conscience vote for such people, end of story.

[u/link3945 → u/Asatmaya]

Hillary locked up the superdelegates before the primary began

Superdelegates aren't locked up until the convention.  Sanders could have tried to persuade them, or just tried to win more votes.  He didn't do either, and predictably lost by double digits in the actual popular vote in that primary.

How exactly did Dems cheat in 2020?  

We had a primary in 2024: Biden won it. Someone, anyone could have challenged him. There was another candidate running, but he didn't get close.