Four years after progressives warmed to the “defund the police” movement, Democratic candidates running in competitive elections are seeking to tie themselves to law enforcement as closely as possible.
In ad after ad from vulnerable Democrats, lawmakers are showcasing police union endorsements and touting how they’ve increased funding for law enforcement.
The widespread pro-police messaging among Democrats is a big shift from where the party was in the summer of 2020. Then, the shocking police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis led the party to imagine a future where public safety responsibilities shifted away from cops.
But in the years since, as violent crime increased during the Covid pandemic and Republicans began to attack Democrats as “soft on crime,” Democrats have turned back to embracing law enforcement.
Some data: According to AdImpact, Democrats running in congressional races have spent a total of $24 million on police-themed ads this cycle. It’s a huge investment that shows the party is actively trying to rebut GOP attacks on the issue.
Some recent examples:
— An ad from Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, touts how he’s secured $250 million for police and border enforcement. The ad even features a close-up of a ‘thin blue line’ flag, which exemplifies the “Blue Lives Matter” pro-police movement.
— Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) has an ad featuring a group of Wisconsin sheriffs praising her work to combat drug trafficking.
— California Democratic candidate Dave Min said this in a recent ad: “When Sacramento wouldn’t get tough on retail crime, I did. And I’m proud to be endorsed by Orange County Police officers.” Min is facing off against Republican Scott Baugh in the open 47th District.
“There’s a recognition that we need to work together and support law enforcement, that they’re putting their lives on the line,” New Democrat Coalition Chair Annie Kuster (D-N.H.) told us. “I think we’ve seen a lot of our candidates leaning in on that agenda.”
A number of police unions have also endorsed Democratic candidates, from Ohio to California to Arizona.
Police pushback: Democratic attempts to align themselves with cops haven’t always gone smoothly, however, with multiple police groups trying to distance themselves from recent ads.
— Local officials in Irvine, Calif., had to clarify that a police chief who appeared in a pro-Min ad from Giffords PAC hadn’t actually endorsed the Democrat.
— A House Majority PAC ad supporting Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) featured a man wearing a police badge endorsing Wild’s efforts to fight fentanyl trafficking. But a local police union official said the man doesn’t work for the department and only served as an “auxiliary officer” years ago.
— The head of an Oregon police union issued a statement condemning Democrat Janelle Bynum as a politician who “crippled law enforcement” after the candidate ran an ad trying to boost her public safety bona fides. Bynum is challenging Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) in the competitive 5th District.
