TL/DR –
The article discusses the reactions of different lawmakers to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) recount their experiences on the day of the event, with Gallego criticizing the conspiracy theories propagated by Kari Lake, a GOP Senate candidate. Democrats see the Capitol breach as a threat to democracy, while most Republicans downplay former President Donald Trump’s involvement in the event, advancing conspiracy theories or avoiding the topic altogether.
US Capitol Attack Recollections from Rep. Ruben Gallego and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema
As rioters pounded on the doors of the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., took charge of the situation. The former Marine recalls a distinct image amid the chaos: a young, terrified girl, her fear palpable as the mob of former President Donald Trump’s supporters closed in on the House chamber.
Gallego’s actions that day, captured in photos circulating on social media, and his colleague, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s efforts to calm a panicked staffer, underscore the tense moments as lawmakers and their staff were evacuated. House Republicans backed a resolution censuring Trump, and the former president’s approval ratings plunged.
2024 Presidential and Senate Races
Arizona is expected to play an outsized role in the 2024 Presidential and Senate races. Sinema’s seat could possibly go to Kari Lake, the former TV news anchor and GOP front-runner, or to Gallego. Sinema has yet to announce an official reelection campaign.
Lake, a Trump ally, has advanced conspiracy theories about the Capitol riot. She alleged that the Capitol Police invited rioters in and that participants were being held in jail without charges.
Gallego condemned Lake’s stance, stating, “The fact (is) that Kari Lake is lying and saying that this was a staged protest or riot…It takes a certain level of moral cowardice to deny what occurred there.”
Contrarily, Sinema has focused on her legislative response to the attack. She was among the bipartisan group of lawmakers that crafted a 2023 law to ensure electoral counts in Congress align with state-level results, thereby preventing presidential candidates from overturning a U.S. election result.
Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, a strong majority of Republicans still believe that Biden’s 2020 election win was not legitimate. Gallego warns his party not to shy away from being the defenders of democracy.
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