“Republicans represent a dwindling base of mostly white, working class voters. With every passing election, this base gets smaller. Therefore, in order to win they need to get higher and higher turnout from that base. Trump has proven that the best way to jack up turnout with these voters is through an apocalyptic, conspiracy theory laden narrative of victimization at the hands of others. The ‘others’ in this narrative are almost always people of color. This is the core of Trump’s white nationalist immigration appeal – immigrants/gang members/Muslims are coming to your community to take your job and threaten your life. It’s bullshit, but it’s clearly powerful with a relatively sizable portion of the population” writes Dan Pfieffer.

“An election ‘stolen’ in majority minority cities like Atlanta, Philadelphia, Detroit and Milwaukee is exactly the sort of racially divisive conspiracy theory that Republicans believe help them fire up their base. The Republicans continue to promulgate this absurd lie even though Trump actually improved on his 2016 performance in most of these cities. The Republican approach to the post-election period is a very specific political calculation about what they believe is best for the party – regardless of the impact on the country. To disabuse the base of the absurd notion that the election was stolen would risk lower turnout in the two Georgia special elections that will determine control of the Senate. Once these Senate elections are behind us, the prospect of taking the House in 2022 will once again push Republicans to adopt a proto-Trumpian strategy. And then with the 2024 GOP primary looming, things will get worse.”