The fact dems are freaking out about this so badly indicates scotus was part of their plan for determining Biden the winner. I would have put money on Roberts trying to fuck potus.
The calculus has changed (even without a new justice). If this goes like bush v gore, there will be challenges in state courts with state supreme courts delivering wildly different rulings. It will go to scotus, and now Roberts only has the choice to side with the Rs OR have a 4-4 tie/letting lower rulings stand/constitutional crisis.
This will likely not be decided in federal circuit courts, which declined to hear bush v gore. I don’t think Roberts will cuck so badly that he allows a tie and chaos. We will see