If anyone still believes in the 'reality' that the Rats are, or ever were, scared, afraid, humiliated and desperate, I can't help them. Nobody can.
My observation was that you sound like you are angry at someone on FR for thinking that or taking you to task for your contrary view.
I think it was not unreasonable to take that stance, barring illegality. You may be right that the Left was planning this level of open illegality for four years, and perhaps that is true, because they were certainly engaged in it at a variety of other levels.
I think it was only after they had “their candidate” and saw the reception by by the electorate that they decided to go all out and openly break the law, and only because at that point, they realized they had nothing to lose.