Republicans move to intervene in Democrat-backed lawsuit challenging North Carolina election law

FIRST ON FOX — The Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party in the Democrat-led lawsuit challenging the Tar Heel state’s newly enacted election law. 

North Carolina's Senate Bill 747 provides "appropriate safeguards and transparency while still offering voters ample opportunities to cast a ballot," according to RNC and the NCGOP's court filing.

The law, which aims strengthen voter ID, allow for poll watchers, and tighten the deadline to return mail-in ballots, was enacted on October 10 after the state's GOP-controlled state legislature voted to override Democratic Governor Roy Cooper’s veto.

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Moments after Republicans voted to override the veto, DNC and the state’s Democratic Party filed a lawsuit claiming that the law is "a direct assault on the 'most fundamental' right to vote," and leads to "vote suppression." 

The RNC argues that the Democrats’ lawsuit against the state election board underscores the Biden campaign and the DNC’s strategy to loosen "common-sense" election laws ahead of the 2024 election. 

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told Fox News Digital that President Biden is "directing his political operation to sue state legislators for passing good laws."

"Joe Biden should be focused on solving the crises that have erupted under his watch, not directing his political operation to sue state legislators for passing good laws," McDaniel said.

Since taking office, President Biden’s Department of Justice has filed lawsuits challenging voting laws in Arizona, Georgia and Texas. 

Republicans say that the Democratic plaintiffs are "armed with hyperbole and mischaracterization" and "far-reaching assertions" in their claims that SB 747 violates the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act.

The filing also states that the plaintiffs "are not entitled to make their assertions free from challenge and scrutiny. Just as fair election procedures promote fair elections, so do fair election-litigation procedures."

However, Governor Cooper alleges that the law "attempts to give Republican legislators the authority to decide contested election results" and "has nothing to do with election security and everything to do with Republicans keeping and gaining power."

The Democratic plaintiffs say that they are not aware of "any instances of actual voter fraud" in North Carolina and claim that the state is "indulging the dubious assumption that the measures would deter or prevent such fraud."

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"Senate Bill 747 cracks down on non-citizens voting, protects bipartisan poll watchers, and gets rid of dark money in elections—polling shows that the American people support these common-sense measures," said McDaniel. 

According to a 2021 Axis Research study, 68% percent of registered voters in Arizona, New Hampshire, Nevada and West Virginia believe that state legislatures should dictate the voting rules and regulations in their state. 

In addition, 71% of the voters in the study believe that if you need an ID to sign up for welfare, get on a plane or rent a hotel room, it does not "make sense" that one would not need identification for voting. 

North Carolina is a key battleground state for the 2024 presidential election. Although Republicans have carried the state in 11 of the last 13 presidential elections, Trump won the state by less than 2% — largely due to early voting and a significant get-out-the vote push by Democrats.