I Stumped for Trump in 2016 and 2020, Here’s what I think of January 6
What happened on January 6 was bad and preventable, and we need to do all that we can to ensure it does not happen again.
Donald Trump was not my first choice in the 2016 election. He was not my second. Or third. Or fourth. Or… you get the point. When it was clear that the real estate mogul was going to walk away with the Republican nomination, I thought long and hard about it and determined that he beat the alternative. So I got to work encouraging people to vote for him that fall and was shocked on election night when he was declared the next President of the United States. Shocked, but excited because the GOP was successful and would soon control all three branches of government and nominate Conservative justices to the Supreme Court.
During President Trump’s term in office, we saw some good policies implemented and record-low unemployment across the board, including the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The First Step Act, Savanna’s Act, and Right to Try were signed into law, providing hope and opportunities to countless Americans. The Trump Administration also flexed its muscles on the international stage, moving the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, eliminating terrorist Qasem Solemani and ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi from the battlefield, and hosted the historic Abraham Accords. Three Conservative justices were confirmed to serve on the Supreme Court, along with countless other federal judges. When COVID-19 struck, the Trump Administration worked to quickly to produce a safe and effective vaccine. On a personal note, during the Trump presidency, I had the opportunity to visit the White House and see the holiday decorations and attend the 2020 Republican National Convention at Fort McHenry, and I am forever grateful for these opportunities.
Despite these incredible accomplishments, they were often drowned out by the former president’s rhetoric on the rally stage or on Twitter. When talking to concerned voters, I would point to the policies and messages and try to minimize the method of communication.
After the 2018 midterms, which resulted in the GOP losing the House of Representatives, it was clear to see that Democrats, particularly suburban women, were upset with the Commander in Chief. When the 2020 Election was approaching, I got to work helping craft campaign literature highlighting Trump’s accomplishments and how Americans were better off than they were four years ago. I phone-banked and did peer-to-peer texting in battleground states not just for Trump but other Republicans in tough races in Maryland and throughout the nation, and even made two trips to Pennsylvania to help get out the vote in that crucial swing state.
I had mixed feelings on election night and the days that followed. While we were picking up seats in Congress, and electing a record number of GOP women, we wound up losing the Oval Office. While candidates have the opportunity to request recounts and audits are regularly conducted, once Joe Biden was declared the president-elect, Trump did not immediately concede. Instead, he claimed that the race was stolen and pushed other theories about the election. Joe Biden won in 2020, Donald Trump lost, and no lies, theories, or audits will change this fact.
These claims slowly developed into what is now known as January 6. On that date, I was checking Twitter and saw reports that protestors were marching towards the U.S. Capitol, and would later breach the gates and disrupt the certification of the Electoral College votes. It was mortifying to watch and I feel that it negated all of the good policies implemented during the Trump Administration. Whatever term you want to use to describe January 6: insurrection, riot, protest, etc., it was not a good look because some people could not accept the results of the 2020 election and were led to believe that it could be overturned. Despite what happened, the certification resumed later that day and on January 20, 2021, Joe Biden was sworn in as president.
So, now what? What happened on January 6 was bad and preventable, and we need to do all that we can to ensure it does not happen again. We also need to remain focused on combating the radical Biden-Harris agenda and organizing to reclaim control of Congress this November, instead of picking fights with our colleagues over picayune issues. While Trump is out of office, he remains a dominant fixture of the Republican Party and clearly has some scores to settle at the expense of incumbent elected officials. Did he implement some good policies while in office? Absolutely, including several I did not list in this article. Do I regret voting for him? No. Let’s remember and reflect on what happened on January 6, then get back to work to ensure that this great nation thrives despite the efforts of the Biden Administration. That’s what I’ll be doing and you’re more than welcome to join me.