Some House Democrats told Axios that their constituents have encouraged them to prepare for violence and “be willing to get shot” while resisting President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Democratic lawmakers said that there has been mounting anger among liberal votes that has sometimes even resulted in them calling on congressional Democrats to violate the law and be prepared for acts of violence, Axios reported on Monday. Many of the House Democrats told the outlet that these voters are often white, well-educated and wealthy.
“Some of them have suggested … what we really need to do is be willing to get shot” when visiting United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities or federal government agencies, one House Democrat told Axios.
“Our own base is telling us that what we’re doing is not good enough … [that] there needs to be blood to grab the attention of the press and the public,” the Democratic lawmaker added.
Some voters have recently criticized Democratic lawmakers for not doing a good enough job of pushing back against Republicans and the president’s political agenda, according to Axios. Moreover, one House Democrat told Axios that there is a “sense of fear and despair and anger” among their voters “puts us in a different position where … we can’t keep following norms of decorum.”
The report comes after some recent polls have revealed that the majority of voters hold an unfavorable view of Democrats in Congress. Similarly, Democrats have reportedly been attempting to figure out what kind of policies to embrace to win back voters in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections and 2028 presidential election.
“This idea that we’re going to save every norm and that we’re not going to play [Republicans’] game … I don’t think that’s resonating with voters anymore,” another anonymous House Democrat told the outlet.
One anonymous House Democrat told Axios that constituents have said that “civility isn’t working” and told them they need to be prepared for “violence … to fight to protect our democracy.” Additionally, another Democratic lawmaker told the outlet that “people online have sent me crazy shit … told me to storm the White House and stuff like that,” but added that “there’s always people on the internet saying crazy stuff.”
“Democrats built this monster. Now it’s turning on them, and the 2026 primaries are going to produce some of the most unhinged candidates we’ve ever seen,” National Republican Congressional Committee Spokesman Mike Marinella said in a statement provided to the DCNF.
