Voting isn't some bargain between a thousand voting groups and one candidate. Let's break it down.
THERE ARE TWO CANDIDATES
YOU PICK THE BEST CANDIDATE
Note that 'best' isn't 'great'; nor is it 'good', 'awesome', etc. And, while there are more candidates, sometimes only two have a chance (Hi Ross Perot!). So it's a binary choice. There has to be someone in office. You pick the least-worse one.
The unmentioned third option is "If you vote third party or don't vote at all, you accept the consequences of a worst-case scenario".
I'm really thinking America didn't educate people on 'this or that'.