WHAT OF THE VOTERS?
A hard core Democrat will vote Democrat...even if he or she has to simultaneously hold his/her nose.
A hard core Republican the same.
They will switch parties or go "no party" only with greatest reluctance. Most Southern states, once solidly Democrat..switched over from Democrat when Goldwater had them believing that he was on their side during the Civil Rights struggle. They were mostly "Right Wingers", anyway.
But the gap between hard core Democrats and hard core Republicans is not empty. It is filled with voters that are variously called "swing voters" or "Middle of the Roaders."
It so happens that the swing voters are about one third of the total of all voters, Nationally. They in fact, control who wins
the Presidency.
Though "Middling" they are NOT mediocre. They vote Issues or Personalities.