That is not a logical conclusion. There were two candidates,well known candidates primaried by the two parties.
All others are merely pretenders. Yours was a pretender and your vote was merely pretending
The presidential race wasn't a "single" race...twas 51 individual mini-races...50 states + dc...
The swing states indeed had "two" candidates...The other states, for all effects & purposes, had a "single" candidate...
Those states were "red" or "blue" before the voting even started.
Therefore, according to your logic, the onlY REAL candidates in the lopsided red & blue states were the victors who were victors before the voting started. All others for those given states were per you "pretenders".