Won’t people just “game the system?” Like, what if voters vote or advocate for a weak opponent in order to squeeze out a stronger opponent?

This strategy is effective in some primary systems (traditional Open Primary, California Top Two, Blanket Primary), but not in an equal voting system. In an equal voting system this type of strategic voting is very risky. Voting for a weak opponent does not change the vote calculus between the your favorite and your most feared opponent, but does increase the likelihood of squeezing out the your own favorite candidate.