Trump supporters ready to cry fraud in case of defeat

(Salem) A few days before the election, Brandon Dent is convinced of Donald Trump’s victory, but fears that fraud will reverse the situation, like many supporters, present Saturday in Virginia for one of the last rallies of their champion.

“He will win hands down,” predicts this 22-year-old delivery driver, pointing at a crowd patiently waiting for a rally of the ex-president in Salem, in the eastern United States, in heart of mountains tinged with autumnal shades of red and orange.

But in the event of defeat, “I really wouldn’t believe it if someone told me she won,” says the young man.

The Republican candidate spent his campaign questioning the integrity of the vote to be held on Tuesday, repeating a rhetoric that has continued since his defeat that he never acknowledged, four years earlier against Joe Biden, despite repeated denials authorities.

These accusations culminated in a particularly violent episode on January 6, 2021, with the assault by Trumpist rioters on the Capitol, the seat of Congress where the victory of the current president was being certified.

Since then, a large part of Republicans still believe that the 2020 presidential election was, in the words of Donald Trump, “stolen” from them.

Jace Boda, engineer, is convinced that “there will be a lot of fraud”. “Kamala is going to become president, but I think Trump will win” if the vote count is honest, he adds.

Behind the fiery speeches of Donald Trump, the Republicans also put pressure on the courts, challenging in court, and often in vain, the counting, the voting machines, the registration of certain voters, the early voting ballots, the certification of results and all kinds of technical issues.

” Dishonest ”

And as early voting has begun, a similar atmosphere has already begun to simmer in some states.

“I’ve been wary of the Democrats since the last election,” says Olen, another participant who, like many others, refuses to disclose his last name to the media.

“Everything they do is dishonest,” continues this 70-year-old lumberjack and farmer, wearing a shirt bearing the image of Donald Trump with a bloody face and raised fist, the photo that has become iconic of the Republican candidate after the attempt. of assassination targeting him in July.

Accompanying the image, a slogan: “Fight! Fight! Fight! » (“Fight!”), again a reference to the words spoken by the billionaire that day, while he was escorted by his close guard.

Nationally, polls show Donald Trump and Kamala Harris neck and neck. But the election will be played out in certain so-called key states, because they won neither the Republicans nor the Democrats, like Wisconsin, Michigan or Pennsylvania.

In the event of a landslide victory for Donald Trump, Republicans plan to put their accusations of “massive fraud” aside. Like Cherl, who works for an association. This woman, wearing a pink cap on her head, promises in advance that she will “question” the results if Kamala Harris wins, but that she will “rather trust” them if Donald Trump wins.

“God has already planned that Trump will become president,” says this 39-year-old woman. “We’re just waiting for it to happen.”