Well yes, exactly. If it takes a certain degree of hypocrisy to get campaign contributions, advertising, etc., and it takes these things to get elected... then you're going to have to have a little hypocrisy in order to win.

And we do want to win, right? We want to actually reduce existential risk, and not just feel like we are?

If you can find a way to persuade people (and win elections, never forget that making policy in a democracy means winning elections) that doesn't involve hypocrisy, I'm all ears.