Most independents I know are very progressive but don’t pick a team. They defined their political views on an issue by issue basis. The problem with picking a team is picking that identity and letting the party dictate what you should think. Being a proper independent takes more work. You have to read into each candidate not just pick a letter.

Also you have tactical voting. I vote in every primary as a Republican to put the progressive in the best position then vote against them in the general if that makes sense for that race. Sometimes the progressive are not running in that district so in that case you vote the moderate Republican in the primary to do the least amount of harm to progressives.

I honesty wish more progressives would run in Republicans races incognito. so we can fuck up their numbers like Sinema or Fetterman.