The Slatest

Trump’s Attempt to Tilt the Midterms Is Working—Against Republicans

Republicans may have gerrymandered some of their candidates out of a job. And the attack on the Postal Service is making it harder for one die-hard Republican bloc of voters to get their ballots in.

Photo illustration by Slate. Photos by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images and Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

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Donald Trump’s schemes are rarely the best-laid plans, but they often go awry all the same. So far, that’s what appears to be happening to the president’s most visible efforts to tilt next week’s midterm elections toward Republicans. His nationwide gerrymandering campaign and attacks on mail voting are threatening to backfire in key states, even as his attempts to pressure election officials fall short in court.…