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North Carolina is proving to be a lesson in one of the many consequences that come with electing an authoritarian. It’s a lesson in what happens to the smooth transition of power from an authoritarian leader.

North Carolina’s Republican Governor, Pat McCrory is refusing to concede to Democratic opponent Roy Cooper. Cooper who defeated McCrory by 5,000 votes. However, McCrory said he will not concede defeat until November 18, the date that counties complete a canvass of their votes.

McCrory signed one of the most restrictive vote suppression laws in the country, a law that intended to suppress minority votes “with surgical precision.” concern for every vote to be counted is wrought with tragic irony.

McCrory, a staunch Trump ally, described then Republican candidate Trump as a “role model” after video of Trump bragging about sexually assaulting women became public.

On the subject of conceding defeat, McCrory’s “role model” said he would keep everyone in suspense unless he won. McCrory borrowed from his “role model’s” rule book by dog whistling about voting “irregularities” while also expressing a sudden concern for all votes to be counted.

The votes have been cast in the gubernatorial election, but many have yet to be counted. Currently, there are tens of thousands of outstanding absentee, military and provisional ballots across the state, and claiming an outcome before the process has concluded is irresponsible and disrespectful to the voters of North Carolina whose voices have yet to be heard. We also have grave concerns over potential irregularities in Durham County, including the sudden emergence of over 90,000 ballots at the end of the night,

It isn’t hard to figure out that McCrory is copying his “role model” by suddenly caring about all votes being counted while simultaneously dog whistling about “potential irregularities” in Durham County where 49.9% of the electorate are people of color.

Of course, there was no concern for every vote being counted when Donald Trump and Senator Richard Burr declared victory in their respective races.

During the past two days, the corporate media implores us to give Trump a chance as if concerns about Trump were really just a collective licking of wounds over an election law.

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Yet McCrory’s refusal to concede defeat, in a manner consistent with Trump’s behavior, reminds us of what may be coming when it is time for a transition of power from a Trump presidency.

David Frum, said it best in a tweet.

” Let’s hold off on that self-congratulation until we see how the transition *from* Trump goes.”

The peaceful transition of power is one of those things that we value as Americans, regardless of our party preferences. It’s what distinguishes our political system favored by Trump’s foreign and domestic allies.

Image: Screenshot from video.