The DMN signed their own death warrant when they made obvious mistakes in their political endorsements in the previous presidential election cycle. They further obstructed their success with ridiculous subscription pricing changes making them inaccessible to most readers. The DMN is dead unless they clean house.
Another poster suggested a Russian disinformation campaign, I would suggest a more home-grown hate faction that was grown from the poll-watcher contingent. They culled and sifted lists of people that were most likely to “spoil the vote” and had nothing else to do do but harass people.