Dear John,

Last Sunday, Rep. Fred Upton said on “Meet the Press” that death threats—like those he received for voting in favor of infrastructure legislation—are “a detriment [to] getting good people to run" for office. Upton, one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, announced earlier this month that he is retiring from Congress. "It puts you at risk, particularly when they threaten not only you…but when they threaten your spouse or your kids or whatever, that's what really makes it frightening," he said.  

So what type of rhetoric from the radicals is helping to drive such threats against lawmakers and candidates? Let’s review some examples…

Mike Detmer (Candidate, State Senate, MI): Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson asked the state attorney general’s office to investigate Detmer after he remarked at a candidate’s event that Americans should “show up armed” when asked about vote-counting concerns.

Reba Sherrill (Candidate, U.S. House, FL-21): Sherrill, a QAnon conspiracist, has praised the Jan. 6 insurrectionists. “How do you think we won our independence in 1776? It wasn't by being respectful of the ‘so called’ law. We had to fight a battle with guns! People died! If you don't have the stomach to reclaim our Republic, get out of the way,” she has said.

Cordie Williams (Candidate, U.S. Senate, CA): Williams was in Washington, D.C., during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. After the deadly insurrection, he posted a video of himself calling for Americans to arm themselves for “a coming civil war." He is known to fraternize with anti-government extremists.

Jason Howland (Candidate, State House, MI-31): Howland actually entered the Capitol building during the Jan. 6 attack. He is the co-founder of the American Patriot Council, multiple members of which were involved in the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Rep. Madison Cawthorn (Congressman, U.S. House, NC-11): Last August, Cawthorn said U.S. elections are “rigged,” and there will be “bloodshed” if the country continues down “this path”

Rep. Paul Gosar (Congressman, U.S. House, AZ-4): The House voted in November to censure Gosar and strip him of his committee assignments after he posted a graphic anime video to his social media accounts depicting violence against fellow Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and President Biden.

Gosar’s punishment was the rare exception. In our current political environment, violent rhetoric often goes unpunished—or is even rewarded—while the honest work of bipartisan governing is harshly rebuked. As a result, the whole country suffers the loss of good leaders like Upton and potential candidates who decide it’s just not worth the risk. Even worse, violence gradually becomes a normalized and acceptable political force. 

It is the mission of the Renew America Movement to build a national cross-partisan coalition that vigorously rejects this trend and stands up for the principles that make our nation strong. We shine a light on radicalism and counter it with a unifying and constructive message. Please click here to support our work.

Renew America Movement