Here’s a theory Rick: This is strategic, probably on the part of his advisors rather than Trump himself. The plan would be to decrease GOP votes via mail and increase GOP votes on election day. 1/ https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1281607090037874688

The net result would likely be less overall votes for Trump because some Trump voters will now eschew mail-in voting thanks to his self sabotage, but also sit out in-person voting due to COVID risks. 2/

However, this will result in MORE votes reported for Trump on election night than he otherwise would have received, especially relative to Dem votes which will be vast majority mail-in because they hate Trump who is insisting mail-in is bad & also fear COVID. 3/

Their hope is that Biden is up 49-48 on election night, providing Trump with a narrow EC victory, *as of Nov 3rd*. The play is to declare victory & subvert the mail-in votes after the fact via pressuring GOP SOS/GOV to certify results before all mail-in votes are counted*. 4/

*Feel free to insert any number of other illegal/unethical tactics you can think of, including the continued assault on the validity of mail-in voting, this is just one example. 5/

By trading more overall votes later for fewer votes, but ones that are front-loaded on election night, you go from a certain 51-44 loss in mid-to-late Nov (post mail-in counts) to having a puncher’s chance on Nov 4th. 6/

There is a ton of risk in this strategy, but if you are going from 95% chance of losing to 85% chance of losing, you are improving your odds. 7/

Let me put it this way: why wouldn’t he take out a payday loan to head to the casino and bet everything he has on the longshot coming in when the alternative is guaranteed bankruptcy? 8/end

P.S. RIP #JohnLewis