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The right is bringing back political vigilantism. As the divides between red and blue states become ever larger, political violence is growing, often aided and abetted by Republican state governments. State-supported vigilantism was a central feature of American political life during Jim Crow, and only when the Civil Rights Movement gained greater momentum did the tide turn. What’s changed in 2024 is that there is no longer any such thing as local vigilantism. The toxic combination of social media, news outlets, and national activist networks—all of whom take their cues from Mar-a-Lago—makes every local attack a part of a national political battle, and every bit of inflammatory rhetoric that comes from the GOP is a threat to Americans
nationwide.
For our October special issue, Jon Michaels and David Noll wrote about the growing threat of political violence and how red states enable right-wing vigilantism. They outline what blue states can do to keep Americans safe and protect our democracy from right-wing activists who use political violence to further their agenda, but ultimately the buck stops with the federal government. If Vice President Harris wins in November, she has the opportunity to appoint new enforcement officials who can respond to MAGA vigilantism with the urgency it demands. Our democracy depends on it.
Elected officials in blue states have a special responsibility to protect their residents from right-wing interstate aggression, and nowhere is this fraught dynamic more stark than the Midwest. Minnesota is a blue island surrounded by red states on all sides, and has used its leverage to push back against conservative momentum and pass progressive policies. As Minnesota’s attorney general, Keith Ellison is at the forefront of that effort. For the October special issue, the Prospect talked to Ellison about his strategies for countering the right’s overreach at the state level.
This month, we’re releasing a special issue on how state policy has diverged so sharply in red and blue states. Depending on where you live, your life expectancy, quality of life and economic well-being could vary wildly. And states aren’t just content to legislate policy that stops at state borders. Far-right activists championing extremist policies in red states want to impose their vision on the entire country, through the courts, corporate collusion and even political violence. This dynamic is best understood as a cold civil war, and it impacts the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans.
We'll be rolling out this special issue on our website over the next two
weeks, covering everything from labor protections, the future of public schools, our politicized courts, the threat of political violence and much more. For just five dollars a month, you can get our award-winning print magazine, published bimonthly, sent straight to your door. And by becoming a subscriber, you’ll help power our core editorial mission: telling stories about Ideas, Politics and Power.
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