Like millions across the country, I watched in abject shock and horror as the January 6 Select Committee held hearings the past few weeks.
Watching on live television how close our democracy was to completely unraveling has left a hollow pit in my stomach that I cannot shake. It has also left a giant scar on our nation and revealed the fragile nature of democracy itself.
It has shaken me to the core that values we as a nation hold most dear – free and fair elections and rule of the people – were only saved because of a few brave leaders who dared to stand up to the threats and bullying from Donald Trump and his extreme right-wing allies.
But what was Mike Garcia doing that day? Let me give you a hint:
While our democracy was under threat, Mike Garcia greeted insurrectionists with smiles and photo-ops. What's worse, just hours after the mob turned violent and ransacked our Capitol, he voted against certifying election results in Pennsylvania and Arizona.
As the January 6 hearings have so shockingly revealed, the real dangers of January 6 did not end on that day. The insidious, organized plot to undermine our elections continues to hold sway in large factions of the GOP as they throw around claims of election fraud, commit voter suppression, and sow seeds of doubt about election validity.
Trump and his allies like Mike Garcia are a threat to our entire democracy. If we don't stop Trump's GOP henchmen by voting them out, we risk something even more terrifying than the January 6 attempted coup — we risk a second successful one.
Christy Smith is running an entirely grassroots campaign that doesn't rely on corporate PAC or special interest money. Your generous support is key to flipping CA-27 from red to blue. As one of only 14 "toss-up" races in the country, the path to holding our Democratic majority in Congress goes straight through CA-27. Will you pitch in and help flip this seat red to blue once and for all?
