I feel like THIS Is the main problem with a lot of elections (beyond obvious cheating since democrats have historically low support in every poll and study, DESPITE them being manipulated and weighted in their favor) is that republicans in major areas keep running these stupid weak "do nothing" candidates that no one really likes but will only vote for cause of alternative. That gives the liberals a chance to more easily cheat in what SHOULD be easy win elections for us because they can just blame it on low turnout for the "do nothing" candidate while cheating to pump up their own numbers given they have little to no organic support.

This. Like in Illinois one of the guys trying to run for governor is basically a neocon who was also a DeSimp who keeps distancing himself from Trump and MAGA as if that's a winning strategy.