No. of Recommendations: 1
There will undoubtedly be things that the Administration does that will affect voter behaviorHere's one. From the mouth of Steve Bannon.
"We're going to have ICE surround the polls."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDmw15Y4h94He speaks those words about 27 seconds in to the video - as soon as the video moves from Chris Hays to the clip from Bannon. And they give Bannon about 30 seconds of air time. Beyond that is talking heads that can be skipped.
Yes, I know Bannon has no official position in the Administration. But he almost certainly has Trump's ear. And if he has Trump's ear, it is far beyond a remote possibility that Trump will attempt to do what Bannon says. Election administrators around the country need to be war gaming this possibility.
I'm going to stick my neck out and say that there will be at least 2 different places where ICE will interfere in the upcoming mid-terms. I'll get even more specific. ICE will be around a couple of polling places in deep red areas in the primaries, where there is little chance of them being called out on their actions. That's the trial balloon. That's the practice run. That's getting people used to seeing ICE checking out people at polling places. Perhaps there will be some token opposition to generate a court case or two that sets a precedent in their favor - even if just in the district courts.
Then in the general election, they'll be at several polling places in democrat-majority areas. That will be the full press of the strategy. That's where Democracy writ large will be put to the test.
--Peter
