That's fine but that's not my point.
My point is that "Republican" and "Democrat" are merely political brand names and that a very large number of voters will pull the Republican or Democrats levers on Election Day simply as a matter of brand loyalty just like millions of Americans would buy caramel-colored hamster piss just as long as the plastic bottle said "Coca-Cola" on it.
If you want to win, the best way to do it is to fight to get candidates with your point of view on the "name brand" ballot.
It is relatively easy to defeat an incumbent on the wrong side of a 70%+ hot-button poll issue but it is virtually impossible for a third party to break the brand loyalty of the majority of American voters.
I think brand loyalty no longer hold the same attachment it once did. It held me for 35 years and I think I was stupid to stay a Republican that long. Now it will only be 3rd party levers that I pull.