Political Violence

When Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to block certification of Joe Biden's presidential election, they ended America's 223-year run of peacefully transferring power. Most Republicans downplay the significance of what happened on Jan. 6, 2021, while Democrats and a few Republicans demand accountability for what they call an attempted coup. Many observers fear the Capitol riot presages greater political violence as November's midterm elections draw closer. They cite new laws in Republican-led states that make voting more difficult, especially for people of color, and in some cases place responsibility for voter tallies in the hands of partisan officials. Equally worrisome, they say, are polls showing that two-thirds of GOP voters believe Trump's debunked claim that fraud caused him to lose the election, and one-third approve of violence to achieve political goals. Experts say the United States risks a meltdown of its democratic institutions — and possibly even a new civil war. But others are not convinced the country is at serious risk of a violent crack-up.