“... to poison race relations in advance of the election...”
I cannot think of any election when the Democrats have not used race to influence the electorate. It is in their DNA!!!
Until 1964 the formula was to win elections by scaring white people about the threat posed to them by black people. Since 1964 the formula has been to win elections by scaring black people about the threat posed to them by white people.
Same formula, different boogeyman.