Ever since former President Donald Trump's lies about the 2020 election motivated a mob of pro-Trump extremists to storm the United States Capitol and undo now-President Joe Biden's victory, Republican elected officials have worked overtime to dismiss the riots' severity or deny altogether that it was prompted by Republican lies.
They've claimed the rioters, who ransacked windows and beat police officers and smeared excrement across the walls, looked like they were participating in a "normal tourist visit." Others have claimed the mob was secretly composed of anti-Trump activists who dressed up in pro-Trump gear to make him look bad—despite him already being defeated in the 2020 election. They've tried to divert attention from the riots and to violent moments in the overwhelmingly peaceful protests against racist police brutality last summer.
Most importantly, Republican members of Congress overwhelmingly voted against a bipartisan commission to investigate the origins of the riots.
But a new report indicates their tactics aren't working.
A recently released Navigator Research survey of 1,001 voters found a strong association of images of the failed insurrection with the Republican party among those surveyed.
According to the report:
"Three in five Americans (61%) associate an image of the Capitol riot with the Republican Party."
Perhaps unsurprisingly, 37 percent of Republicans who get their news from the conservative Fox News network associated the images with the Democratic party, despite the sea of Trump flags, caps, and shirts among the rioters.
Here's a full breakdown.
People reacted to the delusions of Republicans associating the riots with the Democratic party.
Majorities Associate the Capitol Riot with the Republican Party, Though Republicans Are More Split .. because they marinate in Fox propagandahttps://navigatorresearch.org/divisions-in-america-by-news-consumption/\u00a0\u2026— Jennifer 'pro-voting' Rubin (@Jennifer 'pro-voting' Rubin) 1625075903
Only a third of Republicans were willing to associate an image of the Capitol riot with the Republican party.\n\nAnd another third associated it with the Democratic party. Probably illustrating the "they made us do this" sentiment/line of reasoning.\n\nhttps://navigatorresearch.org/divisions-in-america-by-news-consumption/\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/Jevl1O2R4g— Brendo RN (@Brendo RN) 1624984143
A new Navigator Research survey showed respondents a picture of rioters at the Capitol and asked them which party they associated the image with.\n\nThe results were striking: 61% said the Republicans, and 20% said the Democrats.https://navigatorresearch.org/divisions-in-america-by-news-consumption/\u00a0\u2026— Todd Kennedy (@Todd Kennedy) 1625075330
But the vast majority seem to be laying the blame at the feet of Republicans—and Donald Trump.
Lindsey Graham: Republicans have to accept the fact that Donald Trump is the most popular person in the party.\n\nMe: you mean the guy the guy who is responsible for losing the Presidency, House and Senate, and then incited the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot? This is your best guy??— Deacon Blues (@Deacon Blues) 1620764093
I am so tired of people (Republicans) acting like the Trump riot at the Capitol was no big deal. It is a stain on this democracy that will not soon fade. Trump is 100% responsible. Sorry, the election was not stolen. He lost. Our democracy held.— IrishMac (@IrishMac) 1618363854
Trump's ultimate legacy may well be an armed insurrection from his gullable maga mob who are stupid enough to believe that is their only option. After five years of constant lying about the election by Trump and leading republicans a civil war will be all their fault. God help us— slapshotcatcher (@slapshotcatcher) 1625258883
After a deadly insurrection at our nation\u2019s Capitol incited by the President of the United States and some Republicans in Congress, we cannot just move on.\n\nThank you to @SpeakerPelosi for ensuring that we get the full facts and treating January 6th with the gravity it deserves.— Sean Eldridge (@Sean Eldridge) 1625060547
Others are still gripped by delusion.
Only in America can the person responsible for security of Congress fail like Pelosi did and somehow it ends up bring Republicans fault..\n\nCapitol riot: House creates committee to investigate Jan. 6 attackhttps://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-committee-jan-6-capitol-riot\u00a0\u2026— John Simon (@John Simon) 1625103010
@cornellbelcher Dumb much? It\u2019s you liberals that believe Republicans are responsible for the Capitol riot- they\u2019re not, rogue protestors are, just like the rogue BLM protestors that burned and looted our cities & assaulted HUNDREDS of police officers, remember?— AreYouKiddingMe (@AreYouKiddingMe) 1625095013
The Democratic House of Representatives voted to establish a select House committee on the riots, after the bill for a bipartisan commission failed.