Republicans Dust Off Anti-D.C. Playbook to Sound Tough on Crime

Republicans are increasingly turning to a popular conservative punching bag, the District of Columbia, in a gambit to raise the alarm of crime in America’s cities before the 2024 elections.

The GOP won control of the House last year in part by pledging to tackle crime. Four months in, they have yet to pass major crime legislation, but have moved political messaging rolling back recent changes in D.C. criminal sentencing rules that they believe will appeal to voters across party lines.

“What they saw with the criminal code bill was an opportunity to make that a national issue and put ...