Seems that voters like to limit their choices to Republicans and Democrats (straight ticket campaign is a classic example) and, with the aid of gerrymandering, find themselves limited even more.

Eric Schansberg provided voters in the 9th Congressional District with a valid — and in my opinion, better — alternative, but they chose to ply the wasted vote syndrome.

Analogy?

I imagine a Republican and a Democrat on a one-way street — both driving the wrong direction.

The Democrat is going faster than the Republican, and seems oblivious to his error.

For his part, the Republican refuses to even acknowledge he’s going the wrong way.

Voters choose to ride with the Republican simply because he’s not going as far as fast as the Democrat.

But in the end, like you say, it’s all a matter of voter choice.