Seems like they think elections are like playing the price is right, where guessing 1 dollar above or below one of the other players is sometimes a good strategy.
If they were competent academics, they'd know the culture wars were manufactured, and to be aware that politicians can shape public discourse then disregard this and assume they must bow to and react to manufactured discourse is weird and illogical.
Absorbing your opponents positions isn't useful, especially when large swathes of your support is resisting the erosion of civil rights. You'd just erode your own support and suppress your own turnout.