The Guardian view on the US midterms and election interference: Trump’s attempted heist is already under way

Donald Trump is already laying the groundwork to dispute the midterm results, according to The Guardian's editorial board, which says Republicans are poised to lose the House and possibly the Senate. Trump, who rejected the outcome in 2020, now accuses Democrats of planning to steal seats through illegitimate ballots.

The board argues the situation is more dangerous than in 2020. Back then, Vice President Mike Pence and Attorney General William Barr turned down his most extreme requests, but the justice department is now compliant. The Supreme Court's weakening of the Voting Rights Act removed pre-approval requirements for state election changes, and districts have been redrawn. Courts have blocked executive orders claiming powers that belong to states, yet the sheer number of efforts means Republicans need only a handful of wins, and the pressure may also deter voters, including those with undocumented relatives. It also builds a story of a stolen election.

Trump again urged prosecuting Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola after the New York Times reported her campaign recruited a candidate sharing her Republican opponent's name, which the campaign denies. The editorial calls the tactic unethical but not grounds to contest the result.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →