This link posits my last take on the best voting strategy for me to follow:
https://samslair.blogspot.com/2017/12/one-voting-strategy-for-future-usa.html?m=1
You really have the read the above link in order for the following to make complete sense:
In addition to the above voting strategy, if one or the other of the major parties becomes too far gone, I will vote for a third party in their place. Example: If Democrats go too far afield, I’ll vote Green. If the Republicans get too carried away with themselves, I’ll vote Libertarian.
Note: I generally think of the Republican Party as being somewhat the stereotypical Daddy Party and the Democrats as the Mommy Party. If they can’t have a meaningful discourse, the the old adage that “politics is war in slow motion” will prevail.
Note: In my voting strategy at the local level, I’ll vote for the person and not the party. Therefore, it behooves all the major and minor parties to run some good clean campaigns and address the real issues in a sensible manner. If third parties want a real voice, they need to influence what the major parties are saying by “stealing their thunder” with sane and rational thinking. Don’t be an extremist fringe party; be the bipartisan party. Give me a party to vote for that gives me a balanced budget, protects the environment and free trade, prevents the need for abortions through contraception, etcetera through proactive measures — not reactive political countermeasures.
I do realize, of course, that gerrymandering and partisan politics hold sway. But, it’s a start.