Other Democrats, including Biden, recognized the party’s friendliness toward anti-police movements in the wake of the 2020 elections. “We lost races we shouldn’t have lost. Defund police almost cost me my race because of an attack ad. Don’t say socialism ever again,” Virginia Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger reportedly said in November, adding that the party needs “to get back to basics” and that “if we run this race again we will get fucking torn apart again in 2022.” Democratic Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin agreed, arguing that there are some serious problems with her party’s messaging and branding. If Democrats themselves are criticizing their own party for being too anti-police, it is difficult to argue Republicans are “lying” when they make the same criticism.