Any fledgling political organization that participates in the system in a traditional way is either

a) stupid or b) delusional or c) sacrificing vulnerable peoples actual needs in favor of ideology or d) a false-flag operation designed to weaken the side they are ostensibly closer to

Any meaningful change can only occur outside the standardized channels. Inside the existing structure the math simply demands a two-party-system that will always favor the side that can both form the biggest coalition and dissuade the opposed voters from voting. Both parties have had problems with the coalition forming for a long time, so they try everything to dissuade opposed voters.

If you want meaningful change in the US, find a way to invest your activism not into who people vote for, but into changing how voting works.

First: The "National Popular Vote Interstate Compact" is a band-aid that might help with warding against the worst excesses of far-right ideology, with it in place, it should be easier to ward against the white nationalist power grab and protect vulnerable people.

Second: Electoral reform in favor of ranked choice voting. With this in place, your goal to create viable alternative candidates will be basically met. Suddenly you don't HAVE to vote for the lesser evil. The math suddenly doesn't favor a two-party-system anymore.

Third: Implementing the Fair Representation Act to bring about ranked choice voting in then multi member districts. This counteracts gerrymandering and will make the representation much closer match the voters. No more taxation without representation for the plurality of citizens.

Fourth: Some form of true proportional representation. Open or closed list proportional representation would both help with SO many problems the US faces right now, it's absolutely bonkers.

P.S.: But in the meantime... all these goals are may be more or less opposed by most democrats, but they will never be implemented when the republicans further erode american democracy. So vote democrat if you want to have any chance of bettering circumstances, at all.