Political Violence is Driving Good People Out of Public Life. It’s Not Too Late to Reverse It.

When Tennessee state Rep. Aftyn Behn announced she would not run again for Congress, her decision should have set off alarms. 

Behn, a state legislator who ran a competitive race, was blunt about what drove her choice: the campaign put her personal safety at risk. She and her family faced a daily barrage of rape and death threats. Continuing felt overwhelming and unsafe.

Her story is not unusual. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) was recently attacked at a town hall meeting with constituents; she was physically unharmed and refused to be intimidated, but the incident reflects a much larger pattern, particularly with women of color in the public eye. 

U.S. Capitol Police reported a 50 percent increase in threats against elected officials in the past year alone. A new study of Gen Z and millennial state legislators found the No. 1 concern about staying in public service is political violence. We are at an inflection point, and unless we act quickly to course correct, the consequences could be catastrophic.

For many candidates and elected officials, the killing of Minnesota state Senator Melissa Hortman marked a breaking point. Not only because of the violence, but because of how quickly public attention moved on. Harassment and intimidation are no longer rare features of political life. 

And yet, even as the risks rise, we continue to ask people to run for office and serve in elected roles without the requisite support, protection or infrastructure needed to keep them safe. Rather than wringing our hands every time a promising leader steps away, we must fix the broken ecosystem that pushed them out.

To start, we must be honest about the magnitude of the problem we are facing. A recent survey showed more than 60 percent of candidates surveyed experienced harassment during their campaign. One in five avoided campaigning alone because they feared for their safety. And among women, candidates of color, LGBTQ+ candidates and first-time candidates, those numbers were even higher. This is what the modern candidate experience looks like and it is actively shrinking the pool of people willing to serve.

The survey did identify a glimmer of hope: 41 percent of candidates who lost their races plan to run again. That kind of resilience is extraordinary but it shouldn’t be required. The conditions candidates face when they run and when they serve are ours to change.

First, we must treat safety and security as core campaign infrastructure. Just as campaign training teaches candidates how to raise money or how to target voters, it must also teach them how to stay safe. That means clear protocols for candidates, staff and families navigating online harassment, physical threats and intimidation. And once those protocols are in place, we need dedicated infrastructure that candidates and elected officials can lean on to stay safe. 

Second, functional infrastructure will require us to invest in organizations that support people when they win, not just when they run. There are dozens of organizations dedicated to helping candidates get to Election Day. Far fewer are there to help them navigate what happens after they take office. 

And the threats do not stop once the campaign ends. In many cases, they intensify. Elected officials need visible, accessible support systems that respond quickly and provide guidance and resources making it clear they are not facing this alone.

Finally, we need policy changes that make it harder for bad actors to target candidates and elected officials in the first place. In 2024, the Federal Election Commission clarified that federal candidates can use campaign funds for personal security. But that should be the floor, not the ceiling – and it should extend to state and local candidates. States like New Jersey and Georgia have passed “shield laws” that scrub personal information of officials and their families from public records. More states should follow. 

When strong and qualified leaders decide the risk is too high, democracy loses. It disproportionately loses women of color, working parents, community leaders and people who reflect the country as it actually is — not just those with wealth, security details or the ability to absorb constant threats.  

If we want a democracy that truly reflects the people it serves, we have to make sure that running for office and serving in office does not mean putting yourself or your family in danger.

That is a choice we still have time to make.

Denise Feriozzi is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Pipeline Fund and the Pipeline Education Fund 

Muthoni Wambu Kraal is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Women’s Democracy Lab