Democrats are campaigning as if the 2026 election will be fair. That's a mistake | Austin Sarat

"As the Times noted, he said that he regretted not ordering the National Guard to seize voting machines in swing states after his loss in the 2020 election. Talking about the capacity of the national guard to execute that plan, he explained: I don't know that they are sophisticated enough I'm not sure that they're sophisticated enough in the ways of crooked Democrats, and the way they cheat, to figure that out."

"but have done little to ensure the election is not rigged through executive action, intimidation, or interference with vote counting. Because of Donald Trump's desire and need for complete domination, he cannot tolerate and will not allow a Republican defeat at the polls. As Kagan put it: There's no chance in the world that Donald Trump is going to allow himself to lose in the 2026 elections, because that would be the end of his ability to wield total power."

Donald Trump suggested that an election might not be necessary and later expressed regret for not ordering the National Guard to seize voting machines in swing states after his 2020 loss. He questioned whether the National Guard was sophisticated enough to identify alleged Democratic cheating. Democratic leaders have largely focused on voter mobilization and have not prioritized preventing executive interference, intimidation, or interference with vote counting. Robert Kagan warned that Trump cannot tolerate electoral defeat and will seek complete domination, making him unlikely to accept a loss. The risk of non-free, non-fair elections requires serious preventative measures.

Read at www.theguardian.com