Democrats Make New Election Promise
In the wake of the chaotic events of January 6, 2021, House Democrats have announced that they will refrain from staging protests during the certification of the 2024 presidential election results, marking a stark departure from their past practice of challenging Republican victories. This decision comes four years after supporters of then-President Trump stormed the Capitol in an attempt to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden’s victory.
For years, Democrats have used the certification process to voice objections about the way certain states conducted their elections, particularly when Republicans won the White House. These protests, however, were symbolic in nature, typically highlighting concerns about issues like voter suppression or the Electoral College process, without any real hope of overturning the results.
But following the January 6 attack on the Capitol, where Trump supporters, fueled by his false claims of a “stolen” election, engaged in violence against law enforcement, Democrats are cautious about even appearing to question the legitimacy of the election process. The optics of such protests could backfire, especially given the intense scrutiny Republicans have placed on the Democrats’ past objections.
Representative Marc Veasey (D-Texas) summed up the sentiment among many Democrats, saying, “I do not know anyone that wants to do anything that will make it appear like we’re somehow questioning the election.” While there may still be protests about certain state-level issues, such as gerrymandering or voter laws, Democrats recognize that challenging the results of the presidential election would be politically dangerous, particularly with Vice President Harris, who quickly conceded her defeat, set to preside over the certification process.
This shift marks a significant change from the past, when Democrats consistently challenged Republican victories. For example, in 2001, the Congressional Black Caucus objected to Florida’s electoral votes, citing issues with the state’s recount process, and in 2005, they did the same with Ohio’s electoral count over alleged voter suppression. However, these objections were aimed at highlighting flaws in the electoral system rather than overturning the election results.
The Democrats’ decision not to protest the 2024 election result underscores a recognition of the stark difference between their past symbolic objections and the violent insurrection that unfolded on January 6, 2021. Democrats, many of whom spent years accusing Trump of inciting the violence that day, are keenly aware of the potential for accusations of hypocrisy if they were to challenge the results in 2024.
Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who has previously objected to electoral votes in Florida, has stated that while he still sees flaws in the electoral system, he does not question the outcome of the 2024 election. He emphasized that the Democrats’ objections in past years were focused on specific electoral practices and not on overturning the election itself. In contrast, the events of January 6 were an attempt to subvert the democratic process through fraud and violence—something Democrats are eager to avoid appearing complicit in.
This year’s cautionary approach from Democrats is a clear acknowledgment that the events of January 6 are a line that cannot be crossed. They are keen to avoid giving Republicans any ammunition to accuse them of undermining the election results. For now, Democrats are focused on raising awareness of issues such as gerrymandering and election integrity on a state level, but they are determined to avoid any actions that might echo the disastrous events of January 6, 2021.
