WASHINGTON — Republicans who back Donald Trump and are now expressing shock and consternation at his trashing of the democratic process shouldn’t be surprised.

After all, he explained pretty well back in the primaries how he thought the system is rigged and how he felt that voting was lame if you weren’t going to vote for him.

For instance, he was especially explicit in his denunciation of the American electoral system at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, back in April.

At one point, amid his praise of police removals of protesters, he offered a unified explanation for all the nation’s ills and the possibility that he might not win the nomination.

“The system is rigged. The voting is rigged. The whole deal is crooked, 100 percent — almost as crooked as crooked Hillary — it’s a crooked deal,” Trump said to massive cheers.

A little later, he went on to explain his thorough disdain for the system by mocking elected officials who urge all voters to go to the polls, not just their partisans.

“Do you ever hear politicians — I mean, you know, they’re just politicians — where they say, ‘Please, please, go out and vote, even if you’re not voting for me. Vote for my opponent. It’s so important as an American exercise for you to go out and vote,’” Trump said in a wheedling, imitative tone of more traditional politicians.

“I’m not saying that,” Trump said. “If you’re going to vote for anyone else other than me, do not go out and vote, OK?”

“Don’t go out and vote! Don’t!” Trump commanded, again to massive cheers.

Republican leaders went on to endorse Trump, nevertheless, and most of them have stuck with their man, even after he began undermining the election system again more recently.

According to HuffPost Pollster’s predictive model, the nation’s general electorate is unlikely to heed Trump’s advice, however. As of Friday, the Republican presidential nominee had less than a 4 percent chance of winning.

To appreciate Trump’s remarks, watch them above.

HUFFPOST READERS: What’s happening in your state or district? The Huffington Post wants to know about all the campaign ads, mailers, robocalls, candidate appearances and other interesting campaign news happening by you. Email any tips, videos, audio files or photos to scoops@huffingtonpost.com.

Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims — 1.6 billion members of an entire religion — from entering the U.S.