Sen. Kaine: Democracy is at stake in 2024

What’s at stake in the 2024 election is the preservation of democracy in the United States, said Sen. Tim Kaine Jan. 12 at the opening of his re-election headquarters in Alexandria.

“We’re in a real struggle right now in the United States and around the world between the ‘small d democrats’ and the authoritarians,” Kaine said. In the U.S., we have “a likely Republican nominee who we know will try to dismantle the important institutions of our democracy.”

“Every generation or two we’ve had to grapple with the question of whether we are still committed to embracing democracy,” he said. “This is one of those moments where we’re sort of in that battle.”

“I have too many Republican colleagues in the Senate who privately say they know they’re in this battle,” Kaine said. “But they’re not standing up and battling to perfect and improve a democracy that they can hand on to the next generation. That’s because they’re afraid that if they get crossways with Donald Trump their own voters are going to rebel against them.”

“Let’s reject cynicism. Let’s reject despair. Let’s reject the authoritarian and dictatorial tendencies of the team we’re up against,” Kaine said. If the nation can do that, “we’ll beat them and turn the corner.”

Kaine was first elected to the Senate in 2013. Before that, he was on the Richmond City Council, mayor of Richmond, governor of Virginia, and vice presidential running mate with presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

When he got into politics 30 years ago, “Virginia was redder than red,” he said, with Republicans holding all major federal and state offices. “A Democratic presidential candidate wouldn’t even spend five minutes here.”

That has changed dramatically in recent years. He calls Virginia “the best turnaround project in the United States,” as it’s gone from red to blue during his time in politics.

Kaine said he views politics as a “team sport.” It’s not just about getting re-elected; it’s about delivering electoral votes for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and flipping or retaining House seats.

“Our goal is to run as coordinated a race as we can,” he said. “We’re stronger if we link arms than just trying to win our own battle.”