Lawmakers heading to Capitol Hill to certify the results of the presidential election expect to have a quiet Monday — a far cry from the chaotic and violent scene of four years ago.
Democrats, who made the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection a touchstone of their unsuccessful campaigning this fall, were not going out of their way to commemorate the anniversary. And Republicans seemed poised to continue downplaying the insurrection, with some sticking to the position that the violence of Jan. 6 doesn’t deserve any air time.
Most of the lawmakers from both parties who spoke to NOTUS seemed eager to have as normal a day as possible.
“Democrats always try to bring it up, but I think now that the American people have seen the fedsurrection that took place, maybe they’ll be a little more quiet about it,” Rep. Lauren Boebert said, alluding to an inside job conspiracy theory that some Republicans, including multiple members of Congress, have backed.
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Other Republicans said they were looking ahead.
“If everyone wants to continue to think about what’s happening Jan. 6, and by all means, they have a right to do so, but I’m just wanting to certify the election and move on,” Republican Rep. Cory Mills said.
But even several Democrats — whose party repeatedly centered campaign messaging around Jan. 6 — said they were committed to having as conventional of a certification process as possible.
“I’m not necessarily in particular thinking about that,” Democratic Sen. Cory Booker told NOTUS of Jan. 6 when asked if the violence from the insurrection was on his mind. “We are going to have a peaceful transfer of power. I do not anticipate any violence whatsoever.”
If this Jan. 6 plays out as smoothly as lawmakers expect, it’ll mark a significant departure from the process that was most recently marked by tumult, chaos and multiple deaths. A snow storm also promised a much quieter — and perhaps sparsely attended — certification.
As lawmakers largely sidestepped detailed discussions about the 2021 violence, reminders of it were on display on the first day of the 119th Congress — including the security fences that flanked the Capitol complex ahead of the impending certification vote. The certification will have increased security from the last presidential election, with the secretary of homeland security even designating it a “national special security event” for the first time.
Most lawmakers seem convinced that there wouldn’t be a repeat of the 2021 violence this time around. Their reasoning? Democrats aren’t disputing that President-elect Donald Trump won the 2024 election, striking a clear contrast to Trump, who sowed doubt about the results of the 2020 presidential election that he lost.
“Donald Trump won. So it’ll be all ice cream and puppy dogs,” Democratic Rep. Jim Himes told NOTUS. “If Donald Trump lost, I’d be wearing body armor right now and that says something about the asymmetry of our politics.”
The Democrat who ran against Trump will even be the person who presides over the certification of the election.
“Kamala Harris is committed to democracy and she proves that every day,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren told NOTUS.
Members repeatedly insisted that Monday would come and go without chaos, with Democrats reiterating their party’s commitment to supporting a peaceful transfer of power.
“No election deniers on our side of the aisle,” Rep. Jamie Raskin told reporters on Friday. “We don’t do that.”
His comment, and similar ones from his Democratic colleagues, came on the heels of what largely became a one-sided approach to remembering the Jan. 6 attack. In 2023, Democrats in Congress led a moment of silence and remarks on the insurrection anniversary, while Republicans avoided initiating any commemorative events.
But even as members look forward, the start of this Congress wasn’t entirely devoid of Democratic reflection on the insurrection. Some lawmakers said they don’t think Jan. 6 should fade away entirely even as they look ahead, arguing it’s a crucial reminder of the importance of fair elections.
“I think it’ll go down in history books as a pretty dark day in our country’s history,” Sen. Mark Kelly told NOTUS. “Nobody expected it, and I hope nothing like that ever happens again.”
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Shifra Dayak, Torrence Banks and John T. Seward are NOTUS reporters and Allbritton Journalism Institute fellows.
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