'All bets are off': Writer argues GOP 'cheating' will be 'unprecedented' this election

Vice President Kamala Harris has picked up a wide range of endorsements in the presidential race, from self-described "democratic socialist" Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to arch-conservative former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), to major entertainment figures like Robert De Niro, Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift.

Many Harris supporters have been arguing that in light of how much political baggage former President Donald Trump has, Harris should be way ahead in polls. But with the election only 15 days away, countless polls are showing a very close race. Harris narrowly leads in many national and swing state polls; Trump narrowly leads in others.

In a biting article published on October 21, The New Republic's Michael Tomasky warns that Republicans will find a variety of ways to "cheat" in this election — from threatening election workers to voter intimidation and suppression to refusing to accept the election results if Harris wins.

Republicans, Tomasky argues, have a long history of playing dirty tricks — only in 2024, it will be even worse.

"How Republicans win presidential elections, according to Republicans: We are the party of middle-American morals and values, and the Democrats are the party of amoral weirdos and un-American radicals, so voters naturally prefer us," Tomasky explains. "How Republicans win presidential elections, according to the mainstream media: Republicans speak more effectively to real Americans, who are mostly white, Christian people in small cities and towns who are more authentically American than those big-city coastal elitists could ever be. How Republicans win presidential elections, according to the factual record: They cheat."

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Tomasky gives specific examples, noting that in Wisconsin, young voters recently received texts that read, "WARNING: Violating WI Statutes 12.13 & 6.18 may result in fines up to $10,000 or 3.5 years in prison. Don't vote in a state where you're not eligible."

The New Republic editor recalls that when he was a "young reporter in New York," Republicans inundated "Black neighborhoods" with flyers that read, "WARNING: If you aren't up to date on your utility bills, it is illegal to vote."

"I'd imagine we’ll see a lot of this kind of thing come Election Day," Tomasky argues. "But this year, we'll see far worse than that. Election workers, as we know, are terrified. A recent Brennan Center survey found that 38 percent of election workers had received some kind of threat. In Durham County, North Carolina, they're installing bulletproof glass at election headquarters and equipping poll workers with panic buttons. Will armed MAGA vigilantes be showing up at polling places in Black neighborhoods in the major cities of swing states? I'd be shocked, at this point, if some don't. I hope the police are ready."

Republicans, according to Tomasky, rationalize "cheating" by saying that "anything to defeat" Democrats "is justified."

"Now, add to this cocktail Trump — a guy who was raised, by his father and Roy Cohn, to believe that everyone cheats, so you just need to be the best cheater," Tomasky warns. "So, all bets are off. The cheating this year is and will be unprecedented. And then there's the stuff Trump is planning on doing after Election Day. But first things first."

Michael Tomasky's full article for The New Republic is available at this link.