Statements from Republican elected officials, polls of the American people, Conservative groups, and local law enforcement in Minnesota are all flashing serious warning signs for Republican Senate candidates

Atlanta, Ga. – Today, amidst growing shock and outrage at the chaos from massive deployments of Federal forces in American cities, Senator Jon Ossoff is challenging his Republican opponents to side with the growing number of Americans alarmed by the Trump’s Administration’s egregious abuses of Americans’ civil liberties.

In recent weeks, masked Federal agents have killed and assaulted American citizens, detained American citizens without cause, raided Americans’ homes without a judge’s warrant, and set up police checkpoints to demand Americans’ identification papers.

This issue is dividing the Republican coalition and putting Republicans on the backfoot with voters heading into November’s elections. 

“Americans left, right, and center are shocked by the Trump Administration’s abuses of civil liberties and police state tactics. My opponents have a clear choice: do they stand with Trump or with Americans’ Constitutional rights? I challenge each of them to condemn and demand an end to the Trump Administration chaos that is undermining Americans’ core civil liberties,” said U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff. 

A growing number of Republican elected officials are breaking with the Trump Administration over its egregious violations of American civil liberties, but so far Georgia U.S. Senate candidates Derek Dooley, Buddy Carter, and Mike Collins have refused to put Americans’ civil liberties over loyalty to Trump:

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): “The tragedy and chaos the country is witnessing in Minneapolis is shocking. The killing yesterday of Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen, by ICE agents should raise serious questions within the administration about the adequacy of immigration-enforcement training and the instructions officers are given on carrying out their mission. Lawfully carrying a firearm does not justify federal agents killing an American—especially, as video footage appears to show, after the victim had been disarmed. A comprehensive, independent investigation of the shooting must be conducted in order to rebuild trust and Congressional committees need to hold hearings and do their oversight work. ICE agents do not have carte blanche in carrying out their duties.”

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA): “The events in Minneapolis are incredibly disturbing. The credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake. There must be a full joint federal and state investigation. We can trust the American people with the truth.”

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC): “There must be a thorough and impartial investigation into yesterday’s Minneapolis shooting, which is the basic standard that law enforcement and the American people expect following any officer-involved shooting. For this specific incident, that requires cooperation and transparency between federal, state, and local law enforcement. Any administration official who rushes to judgment and tries to shut down an investigation before it begins are doing an incredible disservice to the nation and to President Trump’s legacy.”

Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK): “Americans don’t like what they’re seeing right now. … he’s getting bad advice right now. The president needs to let the American people — what is the solution? How do we bring this to conclusion? And I think only the president can answer that question, because it’s complicated. We have to enforce federal laws, but we need to know, what is the endgame? And I don’t think it’s to deport every single non-U.S. citizen.”

Gov. Phil Scott (R-VT): “Enough…it’s not acceptable for American citizens to be killed by federal agents for exercising their God-given and constitutional rights to protest their government. At best, these federal immigration operations are a complete failure of coordination of acceptable public safety and law enforcement practices, training, and leadership. At worst, it’s a deliberate federal intimidation and incitement of American citizens that’s resulting in the murder of Americans.  Again, enough is enough. The President should pause these operations, de-escalate the situation, and reset the federal government’s focus on truly criminal illegal immigrants. In the absence of Presidential action, Congress and the Courts must step up to restore constitutionality.”

Former Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene called out the Trump administration’s attacks on the Second Amendment and underscored, “There is nothing wrong with legally peacefully protesting and videoing.”

Rep. James Comer (R-KY) suggested Trump should remove ICE from Minnesota if there is a “chance of losing more innocent lives.”

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY): “Carrying a firearm is not a death sentence, it’s a Constitutionally protected God-given right, and if you don’t understand this you have no business in law enforcement or government.”

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX): “I am troubled by the events that have unfolded in Minneapolis. As an attorney and former federal prosecutor, I believe a thorough investigation is necessary—both to get to the bottom of these incidents and to maintain Americans’ confidence in our justice system. I look forward to hearing from DHS officials about what happened here and how we can prevent further escalation in the future.”

Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) requested “ICE, CBP, & USCIS leaders testify at a full House Homeland Committee hearing.”

Former Governor John Kasich (R-OH): “What’s happening in Minnesota is waking up the whole country. People don’t see justice or fairness, and doubling down isn’t going to work. It’s tearing the country apart,” and later saying, “If you’re feeling frustrated, angry or powerless – Do this: Respectfully but firmly tell your representative, I sent you to Washington to represent me, uphold the American dream, law and order, and our rights. Don’t roll your eyes. Try it. The power is in your hands!”

The Republican coalition is fracturing over the unconstitutional infringement of civil liberties, while the majority of Americans oppose the Trump Administration’s actions — including one-third of Trump voters — putting Republican U.S. Senate Candidates Derek Dooley, Buddy Carter, and Mike Collins not just on defense but on the wrong side of public opinion – creating a “self-inflicted political nightmare.” 

Podcast host Joe Rogan recently criticized the Trump Administration for “Snatching people up,” and asked “Are we really going to be the Gestapo? Where’s your papers?”

The NRA and multiple other gun groups and owners, including Gun Owners of America, have criticized the Trump administration’s apparent disregard for Second Amendment rights in their response to the Minneapolis killing of VA nurse Alex Pretti. 

Trump’s approval rating on his handling of immigration continues to plummet with Americans across the country – making Republicans “uneasy” heading into November’s midterm elections.

Since March of last year, polling shows that Trump’s approval rating on his handling of immigration has continued to decline and that the majority of Americans say ICE enforcement is “making cities less safe.” 

Following a DHS killing earlier this month, CNN found that the majority of Americans believe that “ICE agent’s use of force was ‘inappropriate’” and that several polls show “Americans are overwhelmingly paying close attention.”

POLITICO: “In a sign of growing discomfort among the president’s base, more than 1 in 3 Trump voters say that while they support the goals of his mass deportation campaign, they disapprove of the way he is implementing it.”

Aaron Blake, CNN: “Another killing by a federal officer deepens Trump’s self-inflicted political nightmare”

Local law enforcement in Minnesota has also been speaking out against the Trump administration’s actions: 

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara: “People have had enough. This is the third shooting in less than 3 weeks. The MPD went the entire year last year recovering about 900 guns from the street, arresting hundreds of violent offenders, and we didn’t shoot anyone … this is not sustainable.”

Recent reporting highlighted that local law enforcement officers of the Twin Cities have been raising “concerns over recent interactions between their officers and federal immigration agents.”

Wall Street Journal: Police Who Once Backed ICE’s Mission Are Losing Faith in Its Tactics

Bottom line: Ossoff’s challenge to his opponents today comes as a warning sign to the Republican Senate candidates to stand with the Constitution and civil liberties or face the repercussions at the ballot box in November.