After more than four years of non-stop voter fraud claims, insinuations that he might not accept the presidential election results and at least one float about delaying the November election, it’s no secret. Trump’s refusal to commit to a peaceful transition of power this week — and his choice not to walk back his remarks Thursday in the face of widespread unease — merely broadcast his strategic intent in terms both parties can understand.

As a result, Republicans can no longer truthfully deny that Trump may be unwilling to leave office in the event he is defeated. And Democrats must now confront the possibility they may not have the power to stop him…

“There’s an increasing fear that the months after Nov. 3 are going to be very, very trying times for this country. And I think that there is a mood shift in the caucus from a huge confidence that Biden was going to win to now seeing a little bit of tightening of the race in the battleground states and seeing Trump’s tactics,” said a Democratic House member who requested anonymity to talk frankly about the Biden campaign. “There’s a real fear that this could be a toss-up in a way that Trump will use every tool to cheat.”