From Congress to Campaigning, Chaos Reigns in American Politics

The assassination of Charlie Kirk has everyone on edge.

Lawmakers lash out at each other in the halls of Congress. Politicians fear for their lives on the campaign trail. Someone even called in a bomb threat to the DNC headquarters, though it later turned out to not be credible. Tensions are running high American politics after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, and the peaceful path forward remains unclear.

Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail

Violent rhetoric is nothing new in American politics – for that matter, neither is actual violence. But the assassination of Charlie Kirk sparked a change in the overall atmosphere, and not a change for the better. In the wake of the shooting, the leadership of both major political parties in the US were quick to condemn the violence and express sympathy – though many on the left, both in office and out, either celebrated the event or implied that it was somehow Trump’s or even Charlie’s own fault. Less than 24 hours later, however, the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters received a bomb threat.

Now, that threat turned out to be a dud, but it only heightened the already high tension and fear among those planning to hold outside events during their campaigns as well as those already in Congress not up for re-election.

“I think that we’ve all got to rethink how you do events outdoors,” House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, told The Hill. He went on to point out that preventing a similar shooting would require Secret Service level protection, something current and aspiring members of Congress just don’t have access to. “Hopefully the temperature will be turned down in America, and we can have a little more civility in our political rhetoric,” Comer concluded.

Rep. Nikema Williams, (D-GA), told the outlet “this absolutely gives a chilling effect to everything that is happening.” Numerous lawmakers and candidates report having received death threats. “No one is all that enthusiastic about doing any public events,” explained Republican strategist Jason Cabel Roe.

Fear, Blame, and Division in American Politics

Some of the people in American politics may be afraid for their lives, but others are angry. Charlie Kirk was a strong voice in the conservative movement, and he was killed by someone who certainly seems to oppose his beliefs. A number of Democrats have reportedly received death threats – presumably those doing the threatening either blame them for Charlie Kirk’s death or simply dislike their political ideals.

This leads to fear and suspicion – not to mention blame and accusations of complicity – and it flows both ways. Congress, while always a chaotic realm, has since Charlie Kirk’s murder experienced much more frequent and intense shouting matches, tirades, and accusations on the floor of complicity in murder than usual. And some of those most prone to conflict are promising they won’t go quietly.

“I’m going to double down on this,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) said on Thursday, September 11. “I’m gonna be louder than I’ve ever been until this sh** stops.”

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) requested a moment of prayer on the House floor Wednesday shortly after the news of Charlie’s assassination broke, but Democrats refused, saying it would be a breach of protocol. Chaos then erupted. “You caused this!” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) yelled at the Democrats. Leftist lawmakers countered, with Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT) shouting, “Pass some gun laws!”

Even before the shooting, Americans on the left and right had become alien to each other. Leaders in both parties are calling for cooler heads to prevail and for both sides to reconcile and move forward from the violence and threats that have already occurred – but political pandering does nothing to ease either the fear or anger being felt so strongly by so many right now. Ultimately, peace and reconciliation seem inevitable – it’s that or all-out war, and no one really wants that. But that doesn’t make the more peaceful path any easier, and this increased tension and partisan division in American politics may be the “new normal” for a while.