I get what you're saying. To counter-point, in the eyes of independent voters (which outnumber of registered Republicans and registered Democrats), there's a lot of baggage associated with the Republican party (and the Democrat party, as well). The creation of a third party creates a lot of additional work but also eliminates the baggage. This could be useful for attracting a broad base of support. Dems and GOP beating down the Patriot Party would play poorly in the eyes of voters who hate both parties equally, and offer a stable political home to those who feel disenfranchised by the uniparty dynamic.