It’s obvious that if you are a partisan for a candidate, your first impulse will be to not only vote for them, but to encourage others to do so. There are times, though, when this is not the smartest thing to do. Adam Schiff has been trying to boost a Republican competitor because he doesn’t want to run against Katie Porter. This is a sensible tactic, but could cause a disaster elsewhere.
If Porter and Schiff face each other in the general election, then Republicans who have no candidate to vote for are likely to stay home. If they do, then more Democratic House and local candidates will win. That means that no matter who California’s next Senator is, they will be more likely to find partners in the House to get things done.
I don’t like California’s top-two system and would greatly prefer ranked choice voting, but this is the system now and we need to play by its rules. That means making every possible race between one Democrat and another, so that a dispirited and frustrated Republican electorate stays home. That makes a difference downballot, and you will see it in your communities.
There will be House seats in California that are Republican to Republican matchups too, not many but they do exist. Truly competitive elections would be better for our country, but it will take a change in voting laws to get them. Perhaps if we get a strong position in both houses, and the Presidency, we can get those on a national basis, but until we do, we need to do our best within the current structure.