When some Republicans objected to the certification of certain states’ electoral votes on Jan. 6, there were two especially strong arguments against them. One was that the Trump team’s legal efforts had run their course, which, having availed him of nothing, established the end of the line.

Even more compelling was the argument that went something like this: Refusing to certify electoral votes tramples on states’ constitutional rights to conduct their own elections. It amounts to their federalization.