Ohio State Senator George Lang on July 22, 2024, suggested that a civil war would be necessary if GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump loses the November election.
Lang’s comments came just over a week after an assassination attempt against Trump, which resulted in the death of one bystander and left two others critically injured.
At a rally in Middletown, Ohio, held for first-term U.S. Senator J.D. Vance, whom Trump selected as his running mate, Lang declared, “I believe wholeheartedly Donald Trump and Butler County’s JD Vance are the last chance to save our country, politically. I’m afraid if we lose this one, it’s going to take a civil war to save the country, and it will be saved.”
His statement was immediately met with condemnation from various quarters, including the Ohio Senate Democrats, who labeled it “irresponsible and undemocratic.”
Lang later apologized on social media, acknowledging that his comments were “divisive” and urging politicians to “be mindful” of their rhetoric ahead of the election.
Despite this apology, his remarks have resonated with a notable segment of the American populace. Recent polls indicate that a sizable portion of Americans, particularly Republican voters, sympathize with the idea of potential civil conflict.
A Marist National Poll from May showed that 47% of Americans believe a civil war could occur in their lifetime, with 53% of Republican voters sharing this belief. Additionally, an April PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist survey revealed that 28% of Republican voters felt violence might be necessary to “get the country back on track.”
Donald Trump never conceded defeat in the 2020 election, despite his popular vote deficit of 7 million ballots being larger than the 3 million by which he trailed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. In that election, he secured an Electoral College win by narrowly carrying three states that the Republicans won by fewer than 80,000 votes.
Lang’s inflammatory comments arrive amid a tense political climate, with endorsements for Vice President Kamala Harris pouring in as the Democratic nominee following President Joe Biden’s decision to step aside due to age and health concerns.
Ammar Moussa, spokesperson for the Harris campaign, criticized Lang’s rhetoric, asserting it was a deliberate strategy to incite violence and division.
“Donald Trump and JD Vance are running a campaign openly sowing hatred and promising revenge against their political opponents,” Moussa said. “Trump and Vance pay lip service to unity, but their actions are more focused on dividing Americans than bringing us together. It’s the polar opposite of everything Vice President Harris stands for.”
Ohio Senate Democrats have denounced Lang’s comments, highlighting the bipartisan agreement against political violence.
Lang’s statements echo previous warnings from Trump about a “blood bath for the country” if he loses the election.
This sentiment was also mirrored by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice’s assertion at the Republican National Convention that “we become totally unhinged if Donald Trump is not elected in November.”
Earlier this month, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts claimed that the country is already experiencing a “second American Revolution,” which would “remain bloodless if the left allows it to be.”
Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election led to the infamous January 6 Capitol riot, where a terrorist mob attempted to stop Congress from certifying Biden’s victory.
Despite Lang’s apology, the context and timing of his remarks have drawn significant attention to the broader issue of political violence and the rhetoric surrounding it.
The ongoing debate underscores the deep divisions within the country and the critical need for responsible leadership to navigate these turbulent times.