Words Matter: Spanberger’s Call for ‘Rage’ Put Families Like Mine in Danger

Democrats use dangerous rhetoric in reference to their political opponents as if their words have no meaning, and I recently experienced the consequences of it firsthand.

Last week, my campaign received a death threat. It was not politics as usual. It was a message that shook me and my family to our core—a reminder that public service now comes with risks that no one should have to bear. And it came just days after Abigail Spanberger, Virginia’s Democrat nominee for governor, told her supporters to “let your rage fuel you.”

Spanberger later attempted to clarify, suggesting she meant door-knocking and phone calls. But “rage” does not equate to civic participation. Rage is anger, division, and it creates a climate where threats and violence are no longer unthinkable. Words from our leaders matter, and when those words encourage hostility, we should not be surprised when hostility spills over into real life.

We have seen this pattern play out across the country: Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s husband was brutally attacked in his home, Rep. Steve Scalise was nearly killed at baseball practice, President Donald Trump narrowly survived two assassination attempts, and just a few weeks ago, Charlie Kirk was murdered in cold blood. Each of these tragedies reminds us that violent rhetoric is not harmless—it puts real people in real danger.

Here in Virginia, I now know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of that danger. A stranger decided to threaten my life. My husband and daughter had to face the reality that serving in public office has become so toxic that it could cost us our safety. That is not what service to our communities should mean.

Let me be clear: Political violence is wrong regardless of party. Threats, intimidation, and fear have no place in our republic. But too many Democrats excuse or ignore this rhetoric when it comes from their own side. This double standard is damaging. If we want to preserve the ideals of free civic discourse that keep America great, we must reject this injection of rage into our politics.

Republicans are talking about real solutions to real problems. We want to focus on the cost of living, education, public safety, and jobs. These are the issues that matter most to families. But when leaders tell people to be angry, to see their neighbors as enemies, they distract from those priorities and undermine the trust that holds communities together.

I am a wife, mother, a small-business owner and a public servant. I did not run for office to live in fear. I ran to help my community. No American, regardless of party, should receive death threats simply for doing their job. No child should have to sit at the dinner table and hear why their parents’ life is in danger because of politics.

Leaders must lead by example. They must choose their words carefully and use their platforms to encourage service, not rage; persuasion, not intimidation. That is the standard I will hold myself to, and it is the standard Virginians deserve from everyone in public life.

For my part, I will not back down. I will continue to serve my district with dedication, and I will continue to speak out because if we begin to treat violent threats as routine, we risk losing far more than individual safety.

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