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applegrove

(130,302 posts)
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 07:22 PM Monday

Walz quits race to keep his family safe.

Tim Walz dropping out of the race for a third term is the direct result of Republican threats to kill his entire family after they had already murdered one of his state’s representative and her husband. — Anyone still believe both parties are the same?

Andrea Junker (@strandjunker.com) 2026-01-05T22:22:20.103Z


Applegrove: he didn't say it but I bet it is true unless it is a gambit by MAGA to scare would be Democratic politicians by making an example of Walz and say it is fear for his family.

https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/?id=718148
12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Irish_Dem

(79,859 posts)
2. The goal is to make good decent people too afraid to run for office.
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 07:29 PM
Monday

Like in Russia and other dictatorships.

ancianita

(42,901 posts)
5. Don't confuse bullies for domestic terrorists. They're very different.
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 10:03 PM
Monday

One is an insecure parasite. The other is an armed psycho. Blue states are Trump's domestic Venezuela.

Initech

(107,453 posts)
7. Most bullies are republican.
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 10:12 PM
Monday

The guy who made my life in high school a living hell, I found out his parents voted republican when his mom cold-called my house casing for Bob Dole votes. It was legitimately the most awkward moment of my life.

ancianita

(42,901 posts)
11. But why. It's not just toward Democrats. Republicans themselves live in fear of the armed domestic terrorists who've
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 10:52 PM
Monday

threatened theirs & their families' lives.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA): Has been vocal about the threats she has received
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC): Received warnings from the FBI about "credible death threats" when he was considering voting against the confirmation of a Trump cabinet nominee.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE): Stated he and his wife have been repeatedly threatened and harassed by people "radicalized" by far-right media personalities, one message vowing to stalk his wife.

Rep. Tom Rice (R-SC) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI): Both voted to impeach President Donald Trump after the January 6th Capitol riots and who subsequently faced a deluge of angry messages, public shaming, and threats, including one telling Upton to "Get ready for hell"

Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA) and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA): Were among several Republicans who reported receiving death threats for their votes against Jim Jordan for House Speaker.

Indiana State Senators: More than a dozen Indiana state lawmakers, including Governor Mike Braun and State Sen. Andy Zay, received threats, bomb scares, and "swatting" incidents (fake emergency calls designed to provoke a police response) related to an intra-party dispute over redistricting.

Virginia Delegates: In Virginia, at least three Republican officeholders or candidates, including Del. Jerry Higgins, Lt. Gov. candidate John Reid, and Del. Kim Taylor, have faced violent threats.

Rusty Bowers (Former Arizona House Speaker): Refused to help overturn the 2020 election results in Arizona and faced intense pressure, including a man with a pistol appearing at his home, local party members calling him a traitor, and a flood of threatening messages.

Nikki Haley (Former SC Governor and Presidential Candidate): Her office increased security measures during the 2024 primary campaign after some Trump supporters posted violent messages online.

Matt Fogal (Former Pennsylvania District Attorney): After criticizing then-President Trump's response to racial justice protests, he did not receive direct death threats but was advised by police friends to carry a gun for safety.

For years now, these incidents highlight the broader concern among politicians, many reporting that the fear of physical violence for "voting wrong" impacts their decision-making and willingness to cross party lines or even criticize prominent figures. Beyond their politicians, most Republicans are fearful in general. But not all are bullies.

You can say that the Republican Party harbors armed extremists because Trump has given that population permission -- the thousands pardoned who now owe him favors -- to threaten and commit violence by just complaining about a target by name.

Remember this one? "Oh I love the undereducated." Because he knows that 70% don't have more than 12th grade educations.
Look at the broader hundred year picture of Republicans' world outlook, use of force and pro-gun, pro-power politics, and you can see why just one rich racist, fascist con man can dash the Constitution on the rock of their mindless, inaccurate map of what the country was founded to be, and who We The People really are.

Initech

(107,453 posts)
12. Those are all good points for sure.
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 11:53 PM
Monday

I'll never in my life understand why republicans denounce violence, but they do everything they can to put weapons capable of mass destruction into the hands of the criminally insane and give the impression that it's OK for an average person to have enough weapons and ammo to be able to take out a small army. This is why we get so much violence in this country.

Most of the things that republicans could solve, they don't, because they don't want to anger "the base". And most of the problems that they cause are entirely self inflicted because they've been listening to shitty propaganda bullshit salesman like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity their whole lives. It's way past time this cycle was broken. I actually agree with Chip Roy (shocker) who said earlier that there's so much corruption going on that the people who need to be mass laid off are Congress and the Senate.

But we need people who can stand up to fascist bullies like Donald Trump and Stephen Miller. They've had their fun of destroying the country and playing armchair commando. They need to be fired and replaced now.

Initech

(107,453 posts)
6. Donald Trump is a chaos agent.
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 10:08 PM
Monday

He brings death and destruction wherever he goes. He needs to be stopped.

WhiskeyGrinder

(26,345 posts)
9. Walz dropped out of the race because it was clear this fraud issue -- which would have been an issue in the race even
Mon Jan 5, 2026, 10:19 PM
Monday

before it broke nationally -- was going to be a drag on the ticket.

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