Messaging Guide: Confronting Right-Wing “Crime,” “Safety,” and “Policing” Attacks

As we’re all too aware, Republicans continuously use race baiting, fearmongering, and deliberate division to gain power. They hope to hide from view their unpopular economic agenda and attacks on our freedoms by painting Democratic candidates with the age-old charge of being “soft on crime.” On top of their previous attacks focused on punishment and sentencing, Republicans have now added the potent attack on “defund the police” to cast Democrats and progressives as against public safety.