A little bit, but mostly it’s playing to the fears of people who have been raised from the cradle and indoctrinated (”educated”) to believe they are entitled victims who must be eternally vigilant against their preceived enemies, and eternally dependent upon the state for their very existence. I’m not sure extortion is necessary when you’re dealing with gullible, dependent cowards.
Quantitatively you may be right. But qualitatively it is extortion: Vote for us or someone will do something bad to you. It is the Chicago way.