Freedom Caucus Leader Suggests North Carolina Should Allocate Electors to Trump Prior to Vote Counting
Rep. Andy Harris stated that the impact of Hurricane Helene in counties that support Trump would warrant the extraordinary action.
TroibNews 
The chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, Rep. Andy Harris, stated that North Carolina’s Legislature should think about assigning the state’s presidential electors to Donald Trump, even before the votes are cast in the pivotal state.
Harris expressed on Thursday that this approach makes “a lot of sense” in light of the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene in the western region of North Carolina, where counties are anticipated to heavily support Trump. He indicated that potential challenges to voting in the hurricane-affected areas could justify the state Legislature’s preemptive declaration that Trump should secure the state's 16 electoral votes. This comment was made during a Republican Party dinner in Maryland’s Talbot County.
“You statistically can go and say, ‘Look, you got disenfranchised in 25 counties. You know what that vote probably would have been,’” Harris said in a dialogue with a speaker at the dinner. “Which would be — if I were in the Legislature — enough to go, ‘Yeah, we have to convene the Legislature. We can’t disenfranchise the voters.’”
Harris was responding to a keynote speech by Ivan Raiklin, a pro-Trump activist known for advocating a controversial strategy where state legislatures would affirm Trump’s reelection if they believe the 2024 election is compromised. Raiklin shared a video of his full speech on X, along with a clip of his exchange with Harris.
Raiklin argued that, besides North Carolina, Republican-led legislatures in New Hampshire, Arizona, Nebraska, Georgia, and Wisconsin might take comparable actions by convening on Election Day and granting their electors to Trump. When asked by Harris how he could defend such a plan in states not impacted by storm damage, Raiklin faced scrutiny.
“It looks like just a power play,” Harris remarked. “In North Carolina, it’s legitimate. There are a lot of people that aren’t going to get to vote and it may make the difference in that state.”
When asked for further clarification, Harris provided a statement through his campaign, saying, “As I’ve repeatedly said, every legal vote should be counted. I would hope everyone could agree that legal American voters whose lives were devastated by the recent storms should not be disenfranchised in the upcoming voting process.”
The Constitution grants state legislatures the authority to decide how to allocate their votes in the Electoral College, and all 50 states assign their electors according to the popular vote of their residents.
North Carolina election officials have been working to address the issues voters are encountering in the western counties, having introduced new early voting locations and enhanced the process for displaced voters to obtain absentee ballots outside their home county. The Trump campaign has endorsed initiatives to facilitate voting in the aftermath of the hurricane.
Rep. Patrick McHenry indicated to reporters on Friday that he was not aware of any plans from the state Legislature to pursue the actions suggested by Raiklin and Harris. When questioned about Harris’ remarks, McHenry stated, “It makes no sense whatsoever to prejudge the election outcome. And that is a misinformed view of what is happening on the ground in North Carolina, bless his heart.”
He further emphasized the extensive efforts being dedicated to ensure that all individuals in the storm-hit regions have the chance to vote. “I'm confident we'll have a safe and fair election in North Carolina, and then everyone that wishes to vote will have the opportunity,” he asserted.
House Democrats swiftly condemned Harris’ remarks. Rep. Joe Morelle of New York, the leading Democrat on the House Administration Committee, stated, “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.”
Raiklin gained attention from the House Jan. 6 select committee and special counsel Jack Smith due to his December 2020 tweet labeled “Operation Pence Card.” In this tweet, which Trump retweeted, Raiklin outlined a plan for then-Vice President Mike Pence to ensure Trump regained the presidency. While Raiklin has not faced any accusations of wrongdoing, he has become a frequent presence at Republican events and Capitol Hill hearings.
Jordain Carney contributed to this report.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
Harris expressed on Thursday that this approach makes “a lot of sense” in light of the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene in the western region of North Carolina, where counties are anticipated to heavily support Trump. He indicated that potential challenges to voting in the hurricane-affected areas could justify the state Legislature’s preemptive declaration that Trump should secure the state's 16 electoral votes. This comment was made during a Republican Party dinner in Maryland’s Talbot County.
“You statistically can go and say, ‘Look, you got disenfranchised in 25 counties. You know what that vote probably would have been,’” Harris said in a dialogue with a speaker at the dinner. “Which would be — if I were in the Legislature — enough to go, ‘Yeah, we have to convene the Legislature. We can’t disenfranchise the voters.’”
Harris was responding to a keynote speech by Ivan Raiklin, a pro-Trump activist known for advocating a controversial strategy where state legislatures would affirm Trump’s reelection if they believe the 2024 election is compromised. Raiklin shared a video of his full speech on X, along with a clip of his exchange with Harris.
Raiklin argued that, besides North Carolina, Republican-led legislatures in New Hampshire, Arizona, Nebraska, Georgia, and Wisconsin might take comparable actions by convening on Election Day and granting their electors to Trump. When asked by Harris how he could defend such a plan in states not impacted by storm damage, Raiklin faced scrutiny.
“It looks like just a power play,” Harris remarked. “In North Carolina, it’s legitimate. There are a lot of people that aren’t going to get to vote and it may make the difference in that state.”
When asked for further clarification, Harris provided a statement through his campaign, saying, “As I’ve repeatedly said, every legal vote should be counted. I would hope everyone could agree that legal American voters whose lives were devastated by the recent storms should not be disenfranchised in the upcoming voting process.”
The Constitution grants state legislatures the authority to decide how to allocate their votes in the Electoral College, and all 50 states assign their electors according to the popular vote of their residents.
North Carolina election officials have been working to address the issues voters are encountering in the western counties, having introduced new early voting locations and enhanced the process for displaced voters to obtain absentee ballots outside their home county. The Trump campaign has endorsed initiatives to facilitate voting in the aftermath of the hurricane.
Rep. Patrick McHenry indicated to reporters on Friday that he was not aware of any plans from the state Legislature to pursue the actions suggested by Raiklin and Harris. When questioned about Harris’ remarks, McHenry stated, “It makes no sense whatsoever to prejudge the election outcome. And that is a misinformed view of what is happening on the ground in North Carolina, bless his heart.”
He further emphasized the extensive efforts being dedicated to ensure that all individuals in the storm-hit regions have the chance to vote. “I'm confident we'll have a safe and fair election in North Carolina, and then everyone that wishes to vote will have the opportunity,” he asserted.
House Democrats swiftly condemned Harris’ remarks. Rep. Joe Morelle of New York, the leading Democrat on the House Administration Committee, stated, “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.”
Raiklin gained attention from the House Jan. 6 select committee and special counsel Jack Smith due to his December 2020 tweet labeled “Operation Pence Card.” In this tweet, which Trump retweeted, Raiklin outlined a plan for then-Vice President Mike Pence to ensure Trump regained the presidency. While Raiklin has not faced any accusations of wrongdoing, he has become a frequent presence at Republican events and Capitol Hill hearings.
Jordain Carney contributed to this report.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
