Trump suggests election could be ‘rigged’

COLUMBUS, OHIO— Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumpsuggested Monday that he fears the general election “is going to be rigged” — an unprecedented assertion by a modern presidential candidate.

Trump’s extraordinary claim — one he did not back up with any immediate evidence — would, if it became more than just an offhand comment, seem to threaten the tradition of peacefully contested elections and challenge the very essence of a fair democratic process.

“I’m afraid the election is going to be rigged, I have to be honest,” the Republican nominee told a town hall crowd in Columbus, Ohio. He added that he has been hearing “more and more” that the election may not be contested fairly, though he did not elaborate further.

Trump made the claim after first suggesting that the Democrats had fixed their primary system so Hillary Clinton could defeat Bernie Sanders. Trump has previously backed up that thought by pointing to hacked emails from the national party that appeared to indicate a preference for Clinton. Still, the former secretary of state got 3.7 million more votes than Sanders nationwide.

Requests to Trump’s campaign for additional explanation were not returned. The statement could be an effort to lay the groundwork of an excuse if he loses. If he were defeated in November and then publicly declare the results were bogus, his claim could yield unpredictable reactions from supporters and fellow Republicans.

The Clinton campaign declined to comment about Trump’s remarks.

Also Monday, Trump fired adviser Ed Brookover, who was involved in planning the Republican convention.