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The 2026 midterms are already in peril [1]

['Ellsworth Toohey']

Date: 2026-02-02  

David French's latest New York Times column asks readers to imagine something that shouldn't require much imagination: it's October 2026, Trump's approval is abysmally low, Democrats are leading generic ballot polls by a wide margin, and none of it matters because ICE is running large-scale operations near polling stations in Democratic cities, purging voters with Latino, African, or Asian names from the rolls, while the FBI raids election offices in swing states.

"The horrifying thing about our current moment is that not a single aspect of the scenario above is far-fetched," French writes. "In fact, some of it is already happening." The FBI raided a Georgia election center last week with the Director of National Intelligence present. The Wall Street Journal reports Tulsi Gabbard has been investigating the 2020 election. Two Republican-appointed members of the state election board said seizing control of elections in Fulton County was "on the radar."

Criminal law prohibits armed federal agents from being at polling places. But Trump has already shown he'll pardon violent supporters. If federal courts issue injunctions, would anyone trust Trump to comply?

"ICE has likely violated more court orders in January 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence," wrote the Republican-appointed chief judge for the Federal District Court of Minnesota.

Attorney General Pam Bondi sent Governor Tim Walz a letter demanding access to Minnesota's voter rolls.

"A president who doesn't care about the law, who commands an obedient Congress and is supported by a radicalized base of tens of millions of people who believe his lies, represents a threat to the next election," writes French.

Previously:

• Trump warns Republicans he'll be impeached if they lose midterms

• Trump campaign wants its "soldiers" in your polling place

• Here's a great explainer about Trump's latest election fraud indictment

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