You are relatively inexperienced but your fresh approach, strong public speaking, and unorthodox approach to politics appeals with the younger generation. As a member of the Blue Party, you often gain political points with your voters by challenging the establishment and the entrenched party leaders.
After serving as a popular mayor for some year, you decide it is time to run for the Presidency.
The Blue Party is hesitant to support you because of your reputation as a maverick (however, on the whole your policies are closer to the Blue Party then to those of their opposition, the Green Party). However, they reluctantly decide to back you because the Green Party is very strong right now and they need a strong candidate, someone who has a chance of turning the critical swing voters.
After having reached an understanding that there won't be a primary (or that there will only be a "for show" primary), you travel to the USA to raise your public profile internationally, setting yourself up for the Presidential.
...
While you are in the USA, the Blue Party elites take advantage of your absence and find someone else to run for the Blue Party. CEO Christian is an aging corporate magnate and the wealthiest person in the nation. He has a legendary reputation among the population as a legend in the business world.
Unlike you, CEO Christian has never been a maverick and he will likely defer to the entrenched party elites on all matters. He's easier to control and he has no rhetoric about reforming the Blue Party after being elected.
...
You rush back from the USA but by that time CEO Christian has very publicly declared that he's running in the primaries with the blessing of the party elites. All of the Blue channels (presumably with the directives from the elites) start subtly or blatantly denouncing you and propping up this new candidate.
This little stunt by the Blue Party causes confusion and chaos among the Blue Party voter base with some people backing you and others backing CEO Christian. The elites stop talking to you (except for a few of them), on the whole, they seem to want Christian to win the primary.
The primaries happen and you lose by a very narrow margin.
CEO Christian becomes the candidate and he runs against the Green Party in the presidential. However, analysts say that while Christian is more popular with the Blue voters, he's less able to swing the swing voters and so now it looks like the Green Party is going to win. Many people think that the Blue Party's tricks with sending you to the USA may have been an act of shooting themselves in the foot.
The Blue Party also did not predict that you have developed a "cult" following of die hard voters. These "die hard" voters state that unless you tell them to support CEO Christian, they are either going to withhold their vote or even go as far as go and vote for the Green Party instead. They strongly dislike the Blue Party elites and are very pissed off that they "stabbed you" in the back.
After losing the primaries, you have yet to make a public statement.
...
The discussion question is this:
Assuming that under the rules of the system you can NEVER again run for President or enter any primaries... do you tell all Blue Party voters (specifically your die-hard voters) to back CEO Christian?
Or do you encourage them to protest against the Blue Party by not voting (railing against the corruption in the Blue Party)?
Please assume that the die-hard voters would do what you tell them to do.
Also, assume that your political views are closer to those of the Blue Party... the Green Party's views are opposite to the Blue Party but not far from the center line of politics (so think Republicans vs Democrats type of divide).
As things stand, CEO Christian is slightly disadvantaged vs the Green Party. If you mobilize the Blue Party die hard fans then you can further destabilize him.
Please provide a justification for your decision.
