The Hill Op-Ed: Americans must reject Trump in 2024
BY CONGRESSMAN ADAM KINZINGER
Over the last three election cycles, the majority of Americans have consistently rejected extremism. The midterm elections were no exception with several candidates endorsed by Donald Trump underperforming or losing in races across the country.
Only one-fifth of registered voters vote in the primary. While Trump may be able to sway the outcome of primaries due to the lack of turnout, it’s clear his handpicked candidates were defeated or struggled in otherwise winnable races because of their association with the former president. We need to look to mobilize more voters, and even consider opening up our primaries, to get quality candidates on the ballot. It’s time to stop the circus.
Split ticketing was also largely on display these midterms. This is another sign that the American public is sick and tired of the extremism and divisiveness tearing our country apart, and is looking for leaders who want to bring us together and solve problems. While democracy won in these midterms, the threat remains as Trump has made clear his intent to run for president in 2024.
Since losing the presidential election in November 2020, Trump has refused to accept his loss, spread unfounded conspiracy theories about the election being stolen, tried to overturn the will of 81 million voters, incited a violent mob to attack the U.S. Capitol, and betrayed our Constitution — all while being the subject of multiple criminal investigations.
He has proven himself woefully unfit to hold the office that he sullied, and shown that he can’t be trusted to put the American people’s interests ahead of his own. Worst of all, a return of Donald Trump in 2024 could further erode American democracy, potentially rendering it irredeemable.
Though Country First, I’m organizing a, nationwide effort dedicated to defeating the toxic tribalism tearing our families, friendships, and country apart. Reasonable people of goodwill must band together to put country over party, and save this nation for our children and grandchildren. This is not about policy or past grievances. It’s about the future of our democracy and making sure it survives.
This past election cycle, Country First poured resources, volunteer power, money, texting, advertising, you name it into key races and had great results, including every single one of our endorsed secretary of state candidates winning their race. Through Country First efforts and support of these candidates in battleground states, we made it a lot harder for Trump to try to steal the election in 2024.
In our nearly two and a half centuries as a nation, America has weathered many crises, disasters, and hardships. Like the generations of Americans who rose to meet the challenges of their time, now we must take the baton of freedom and rise to meet this test.
The world has changed and is changing significantly around us. That change has led many of our fellow Americans to feeling victimized and fearing changes to our economy, our society, and our daily lives. The division, extremist rhetoric, and personal attacks too often seen in today’s world accentuate that feeling leading many of us to be deeply concerned about the future for our children, our communities, and our country.
It’s time we stop being victims. It’s time we realize a reborn America and American Dream. A reborn American Dream that focuses on opportunity for all, safety and security in our communities, and Americans working together for our future.
I know I’m not alone—there are many Americans desperately searching for a better way. They want solutions, not more problems. They want action, not extremism. They want light, not darkness. And the sooner we do it, the better it will be for the land that we love.
The original article can be found on The Hill's website here.