As the country approaches a highly contested Election Day, Democrat-run cities notorious for their failures to maintain order in past crises are once again preparing for violence. With memories of 2020’s Black Lives Matter and Antifa riots still fresh, governors and mayors in liberal strongholds are mobilizing the National Guard and stepping up security measures, anticipating the very unrest their policies have historically failed to contain.
Washington’s far-left Governor, Jay Inslee, who allowed Seattle to descend into lawlessness during the infamous Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) fiasco, announced last Friday that he has activated the National Guard. They’ll be on standby from Monday through Thursday, ready to intervene if the city’s fragile peace shatters once again. Inslee’s declaration comes as concerns about “election-related unrest” grow, a byproduct of years of Democrat-enabled anarchy.
Even before ballots are counted, chaos is already brewing. On October 28, explosive devices marked with “Free Gaza” were detonated in ballot boxes in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington—both cities plagued by liberal mismanagement. Portland police believe these incidents are related, signaling a troubling start to what could be a week of violence. But while Democrats decry threats to democracy, they conveniently overlook how their permissive policies have emboldened extremists in their own cities.
Oregon’s Democratic Governor, Tina Kotek, has followed suit, preparing the National Guard and vowing to crack down on voter intimidation. Yet, Kotek’s tough talk rings hollow in a state where Antifa has repeatedly run wild without consequence. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, who infamously cozied up to rioters in 2020, announced increased police staffing but admitted there’s still “uncertainty and tension” in the community—an understatement, given the track record of leftist leaders who have repeatedly failed to protect their own residents.
America on a Knife’s Edge Contrast this with the proactive stance taken by Republican governors. Nevada’s Joe Lombardo, for instance, has his National Guard ready to ensure a “safe and smooth” election, demonstrating leadership that prioritizes law and order. Lombardo’s swift action stands in stark contrast to the hand-wringing of Democrats, who seem perpetually unprepared for the violence they’ve helped foster.
Meanwhile, Washington, D.C., is also in full crisis mode. With more than 3,000 officers working extended shifts and the Secret Service erecting 8-foot-high fences around the White House and Vice President Kamala Harris’s residence, the capital is bracing for potential unrest. Businesses near the White House are boarding up, having learned the hard way that liberal city officials can’t always be trusted to keep order.
Despite assurances from Democrats that these measures are merely precautionary, the nation knows better. After years of seeing left-wing activists tear through cities, set fires, and destroy businesses, there’s no denying that these Democrat-run areas are the epicenters of unrest. And yet, the left continues to point fingers elsewhere, conveniently ignoring their own responsibility in fostering division and chaos.
Republican-led states are prepared, as always, to defend their citizens and uphold law and order. But as Democrat cities scramble to prepare for the mayhem their failed policies have encouraged, one has to wonder: When will Americans finally hold them accountable?
As Election Day dawns, we can only hope that cities like Portland, Seattle, and D.C. don’t become ground zero for more violence and destruction. If they do, the blame will rest squarely on the shoulders of Democrat leaders who have allowed their cities to spiral out of control.
