I notice during the speeches with loyal supporters, every candidate makes reference to winning “with your help”, addressing the crowd.  This makes no sense whatsoever, and here’s why:

Now, relatively few people vote in elections at all.  Even fewer vote in primaries.  A number smaller than THAT actually pay attention enough to actively support a candidate and show up at those damn rallies.  Regardless of their reasons, these are inherently folks who have made up their minds — the converted, if you will.

Among the reasons people have for voting for someone, whether sensible (support their policies, find them to be the most capable person for the position) or not (reflexive support of their particular tribe in the Culture War), none are controllable by the dedicated supporters at all.  As such, they are functionally irrelevant to whether or not their pick wins.  No doubt they’d respond to that with “but we’re spreading the word, getting the message out!”.  However, depending on how you define the communication, they’re either being passively dragged along in denial (donating to a campaign doesn’t mean they’ll use it to communicate what you think they will, if anything.  Besides, it doesn’t require showing up in person.), or they’re the political equivalent of Amway salesmen.