Political actors in black robes taint North Carolina’s election | Opinion

Republicans in the Tar Heel state are desperate to help former President Donald Trump stave off a real challenge from Vice President Kamala Harris, and they seem willing to do anything to stay in power. They received a strong assist from the North Carolina Supreme Court, where Republicans outnumber Democrats 5-2. In an egregious decision, four of those Republicans granted an 11th-hour request from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to have his name removed from ballots. The ruling will go down in the history books, but in the worst way. It was more a political decision than legal one.

The law is clear. It’s up to the State Board of Elections to decide on late changes to the ballot. That’s why I agree with Justice Allison Riggs in her dissent: “Today, any public aspersions cast on the impartiality, independence, and dignity of our state courts are well-earned.”

By removing Kennedy’s name at this late hour, Republicans hope potential Kennedy voters will become Trump voters. The Republicans on the court cared not one iota it would create so much uncertainty 130,000 North Carolinians who requested mail-in ballots don’t know when they’ll be able to vote, county state officials are scrambling to beat a federal deadline for sending out absentee ballots, and it will cost maybe a $1 million to sort the whole mess out . There were nearly 3 million ballots – with a combined 2,348 styles – printed before court intervention. They are now null and void, must be scrapped for no good reason.

There is no sugarcoating this. At least some NC Supreme Court should justices are purely political actors disguised in black robes.

Their decision will affect the entire state, races up and down the ballot. Republicans seem perfectly happy with the chaos because they are convinced it will help Trump win the state like he did in 2020.

“Common sense in judicial decision making. Breath of fresh air,” Republican Congressman Dan Bishop tweeted . He represents North Carolina’s Eight District.

Four years ago, President Joe Biden lost to Trump by less than 2 percentage points in North Carolina. Since then, the U.S. Supreme Court uprooted the half-century long precedent that was Roe v. Wade, and the GOP nominated extremist N.C. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson as its standard bearer. The Roe decision has been a potent get-out-the-vote engine for Democrats across the country, while the Robinson pick has made the state GOP a laughingstock. Did the party really have to nominate someone who dabbles in anti-blackness, antisemitism, and is a hypocrite abortion, among many other unsavory things?

According to the latest WRAL poll, voters have noticed those Republican choices. Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, has a 14-point lead over Robinson. Stein has been boosted not just by a Democratic base that’s been energized since Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee, but also by conservatives who still believe in democracy and are willing to extremism even if it’s found on own their side of the aisle.

The GOP had already gerrymandered its way to a supermajority in Raleigh, even though North Carolina has more registered Democrats than Republicans . This time, though, they won’t be able to hide the damage their power grab has left in its wake. Voters will notice, because voters of all backgrounds and ideologies are being directly affected.

In November, that diverse mix of voters can tell the GOP, in no uncertain terms, the foolishness has to end.