Voting Will Be the Easiest Part
Trump’s MSG rally served its purpose: a desperate appeal to unify white supremacists, rallying them for action. This was his final attempt to consolidate forces—not just to undermine Kamala Harris, but to kickstart the next phase of his plan: overturning an election he knows he is about to lose. As we approach November 5th, we must brace ourselves for a multi-front battle to defend our democracy—political, legal, and in the face of potential insurrection.
The weakest front will likely be the insurrectionist threat. Institutions have learned their lessons from January 6th and are prepared to respond. With Biden in office, we can expect a robust response to any attempts to obstruct or overturn the election, with prosecutions to follow. Over 730 convictions from January 6th and the ongoing “fake elector” trials have established a clear deterrent.
Politically, there may be surprises. MAGA Republicans will fiercely promote the “rigged election” narrative, but many Republicans who aren't fully in Trump’s camp will see a chance to move on. Democrats should offer these Republicans a discreet way to break from Trump. After two election cycles of being bullied by him, the GOP has paid a steep price.
The legal front is the most concerning. We shouldn’t expect evidence of significant election fraud by Democrats, as there was none in 2020. States like Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, and Nevada have already shown they’re prepared to resist partisan interference. However, the real danger lies in what may reach the Supreme Court—a Court that has shown alarming partiality to Trump and the GOP. Today, just a week before the election, SCOTUS disregarded the National Voter Registration Act to allow Virginia to purge 1,600 voters. SCOTUS remains a threat we may need to confront through peaceful protest.
Now, we must be prepared to step out of our comfort zones, unite, and hold large demonstrations. We must tell SCOTUS they cannot hand over our democracy to an authoritarian. As Kamala Harris said, Americans have fought for generations to protect and expand our freedoms, from civil rights to the beaches of Normandy. “We are not a vessel for the schemes of wannabe dictators.”
Now, it’s our turn.