Has this strategy ever worked in the past?

There are millions of people who are known to vote. The question you should be asking is "does it seem easier to get my vote plus the vote of someone just like me than a single Republican's?"

Hmm millions? Source on this?

You need a source on the existence of millions of voters?

At 3AM, I may be missing some sarcasm

do you know any Republicans at all

Yes.

do you believe there is any Democrat they would vote for at this point

I know some of them have in the most recent electoral cycles, and this is the point for your benefit that I'm going to link to my response to what Max wrote, at the same level as your initial reply:

dude, just vote to nominate Pritzker, you don't have to pick the walking embodiment of as many negative Dem stereotypes as possible just because you've somehow brainwormed your way into believing he has moderate bona fides. He doesn't.

I do not care about the 2028 primary right now. Like, lol, not even on my radar. It's 2025 and we don't even have midterms heating up yet. I care about the claim that "I won't ever vote for [JOHN DOE]" is an effective way to persuade either politicians or voters. It's just not.

People desperate for any excuse to bash Shitlibs have decided Shitlibs (like me) fucking love Newsom It's so stupid As usual, Shitlibs (again, like me) are making a narrow argument about tactics and it's taken in bad faith by people who helped fuck over the whole fucking country