Or maybe one who claims not to believe in a living wage and opposes gay marriage?

And I'll tell if I'd vote for them over an asshat like Handel.

...are losing to candidates further to their right, how possibly could we be more successful by moving even FURTHER to the left?

No one can answer that question. All I get in response is "we have to get away from the status quo". So, I further ask, "what is the status quo"? NO ANSWER.

People are running around in circles saying "we have to do this", "we have to do that", and when asked why, all we get is:

is that a leftist candidate would energize the base. I'm not sure I agree with that argument, however. While a leftist candidate would energize the base in a blue state, I'm not sure there is enough of a Democratic base in deep red states to overcome the Republican base, which would also be energized by a leftist candidate (to vote Republican, that is).

persuaded to show up by a certified "lefty." Not sure, but worth considering. I do think it is easier to convert a Democrat who is not voting than a Republican or Independent who is just too ashamed to admit they are a GOPer.

to advance existing views, ignoring the fact that the candidates they do like were defeated too--by wider margins.

who would do ads about

"I'm a rootin-tootin Merkin and I hate them San Francisco, uh.... Nancy Peeeeee-Losi types! I'm just like you, I like to go on down to the piggly wiggly and then find some furriners and... uh, you know (does hand motion) Nancy Peee-losi types to kick teh shit outter! So vote for me because I can't stand those purple haired whole foods arugala-munchers any more then you can! Heee-Haw!"

...this is the kind of shit Handel's people were pulling- I guess it worked.

Jaw dropping.

The closer we get to beating them, the more they'll hope we should change our tactics.

and supposed friends are trying to make it worse. I cannot get over the thought that some of the people with the guns at this firing squad are actually not Democrats. At least one claimed that Democrats are "ideologically bankrupt."

That's ridiculous.
Of the two parties in this two party system only the Democratic Party makes any sense at all.
But we know this.

Whether or not those issues are worth anything is another discussion. But, it is so predictable, expected, and usually the same ones firing the shots.