At the presidential level, North Carolina is one of this year’s most closely watched battleground states, and while recent polling averages suggest Donald Trump is leading Kamala Harris, the Republican’s advantage in the state is less than a single percentage point.

The Tar Heel State, in other words, could go either way. North Carolina’s 16 electoral votes are definitely up for grabs. Much of the political world will be watching closely to see what the state’s vote totals show.

There is, however, one prominent voice suggesting there’s no real need to wait for those vote totals. Politico reported:

The chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus says the North Carolina Legislature should consider allocating the state’s presidential electors to Donald Trump even before votes are counted in the swing state. Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) said Thursday that such a step by North Carolina’s Republican-controlled Legislature ‘makes a lot of sense’ given the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene in the western part of the state.

The Maryland Republican — recently chosen to lead the House’s most right-wing faction — actually said all of this out loud and in public, making the comments at a Maryland state party dinner.

“In North Carolina, that makes a lot of sense,” he said, responding to a question from a pro-Trump activist. “I mean, you statistically can go and say, ‘Hey, look, you got disenfranchised in 25 counties. You know what that vote probably would’ve been.’ … If I were in the legislature, I’d go, ‘Yeah, we gotta convene the legislature.’ We can’t disenfranchise the voters, but how do you make the argument in other states? I mean, otherwise it looks like it’s just a power play. In North Carolina, I mean, it’s legitimate. I mean, there are a lot of people who aren’t gonna get to vote and it may make a difference in that state.”

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Just as a rule, any time a politician starts a sentence, “We can’t disenfranchise the voters, but …” the rest of the sentiment is likely problematic.

Highlighting the Republican congressman’s comments, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut wrote online, “It’s really important to understand the mainstream Republican goal — to make Donald Trump President whether or not he wins the election.”

In a statement to Politico, Rep. Joe Morelle of New York, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, which oversees election policies, added, “Extreme Republican leaders are openly advocating that North Carolina’s electoral votes be given to Donald Trump without an election. For the first time in North Carolina’s history, voters could be denied their right to choose the president. This blood-chilling scheme, suggested by the chair of the so-called House Freedom Caucus, is anti-American.”

The assessment is more than fair given the circumstances, though it’s hard not to wonder how many related comments we’ll soon hear from other Republicans pushing similarly undemocratic schemes.