An election is basically a choice between two politicians that proved to be sufficiently politician to be voted for by other politicians.
So those are probably the most extreme on the politician spectrum, and it's no wonder why people with no trust in politicians wouldn't vote for any.
Who you vote for is secret. The fact that you voted is public. Any politician looking at voter records is going to notice that they’ll get a lot more traction going after old people. Young people stay home, then complain that they aren’t represented. It’s absurd.
If you don’t like your choices in the general election, you need to vote in the primaries too. And even if the choices suck, you still need to show up and either choose the lesser evil or at the very least vote for a third party or write in some nonsense or spoil your ballot, so you’re still on record as having voted.
Trump is an interesting case , but not an inspiring one for the Democratic process.
not to go down a rabbit hole, but only republicans consistently elect anyone "extreme".
The democrats try so hard to cater to moderates republicans that they have completely lost touch with their base and have let the country move further and further to the right. The DNC pretty consistently attacks any candidates left of where they want to be, which is a neo-liberal party.