The primary election is the parties electing their respective candidates.
Sort of__those who aren't registered D's or R's (here) sit out the primaries in all but a couple of instances and the primaries are where the action is.
In FLA we had to choose between two sub par candidates for Governor because the primaries drew from far left and far right. If the so called independents had been able to vote that race would have been between Adam Putnam and Gwen Graham. Putnam, a true leader with experience to spare would be our governor. Instead, the right delivered us a little round bottomed, lying azz Freedom Caucus Trump neophyte.