Democrats cautiously campaign on Jan. 6, democracy threats

By MARY CLARE JALONICK
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats running for office this year in Republican-leaning areas or swing states are grappling with how much they should talk about the Jan. 6 insurrection, if at all. The Democrats’ cautiousness is a reflection of the political divide that remains nearly two years after the violent Capitol insurrection spurred by then-President Donald Trump’s lies of a stolen 2020 election. Many Republicans still falsely believe the vote count was rigged against Trump. GOP lawmakers have repeatedly downplayed the deadly attack. But some Democrats’ reluctance to talk about Jan. 6 on the campaign trail is an acknowledgement that voters’ concerns lie with other issues, like gas prices and rising inflation.