That's how FPtP works, especially with the spoiler effect increasing partisanship over time. (though the right might be split in 2024 for the obvious reason)
I would say it's an over-complicated (by multiple aspects of news coverage) popularity contest. Particularly as there are more candidates, the winner is not likely to be what the actual majority wanted (because FPtP again).
On the left the "safest" corporate Democrat is likely who is picked. Progressives likely even vote that way because of media speculation.
To me the thing I didn't like about Reddit was how it was too focused on US politics. For example, r/worldnews was mostly news from US. It should've been just r/news lol, nothing to do with world.
Choosing between left wing liberals and right wing liberals is like choosing for someone to either pee in your ear or to shit in your mouth, specially in the US.