Think of the different kind of struggle where the progressive forces in the Democratic Party going up on Capitol Hill can tell the corporate Democrats that they're going to lose voters because they have a place to go. Nader hopes that in districts where one party now rules with little contest, the Greens can enter and become the major opposition party. That's certainly a possibility in both heavily Republican suburbs or heavily Democratic inner city districts, but it is not an easy recipe for victory in either case. In most cases, even though they may agree with Nader, most progressive leaders remain unconvinced that the Green Party strategy holds much hope. Even some of Nader's backers think his main value may be in nudging the Democrats to adopt watered-down versions of Nader's ideas, much as Democrats stole in the past from Norman Thomas, Henry Wallace or other leftists.
Some voters are simply beyond such calculations about strategy or third party prospects.
They are disgusted with their choices and hope only to register a shout of protest at the polls. Others may calculate that in a lopsided race in their state, there's nothing lost in any case by casting a vote for Nader, the anti-politician who is saying what most politicians are unwilling to say. I've always voted the lesser of two evils. I'm tired of voting my fears. I'm voting what I believe.