As his path to victory continues to evaporate, President Donald Trump is moving to stop key swing states from counting absentee ballots by filing legal challenges that could drag on the election even if Democratic opponent Joe Biden is named the projected winner by news organizations.
On Wednesday, as Biden’s vote shares in Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin crept up on the strength of mail-in ballots, the Trump campaign began to file multiple suits in those states. While the legal filings may not say so directly, these lawsuits will all hinge on Trump’s false theory that the valid votes being counted in these states are somehow fraudulent. Trump has repeatedly, and falsely, cast suspicion on absentee ballots and promised early Wednesday morning to go to the U.S. Supreme Court to stop ballots from being counted.
There is no merit to these claims of fraud, nor any evidence presented. But the Trump campaign is pushing ahead anyway.
Trump’s legal effort is confused and contradictory. In Michigan, he is suing to stop ballots from being counted ― even though he trailed Biden in the state as of Wednesday afternoon. In Nevada, where Trump also trails, his campaign is pushing for the state to keep counting the votes, although that may soon change when absentee ballots start to come in under the extended ballot receipt deadline. | 
