It is because the majority of voters who self identify as neither party overwhelmingly won’t “waste their vote” on an independent or third party candidate and they want to get re-elected.

I realized that about McCain after I tweeted but the sentiment remains. Independent and third party aren’t taken seriously yet.

McCain is OG Republican full stop. Flake is a Flake, full stop. This ex-arizona girl can tell you they simply don't belong in those categories. They ARE GOP. McCain is proving himself a great statesman after all by fighting back the GOP infiltrators.