GOP Representative Adam Kinzinger Says Republicans Elected For ‘Regular Diet Of Fear’

Illinois Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger said Friday he was ready to “give up his career” by pushing back against “brainwashing” of the GOP led by former President Donald Trump.

Kinzinger, one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump, told HBO host Bill Maher he ultimately wanted a Republican Party that “isn’t crazy” and can be a “productive member. of a government that has essentially two parties “. Although Maher joked that this had not happened in decades, Kinzinger said his party had to stop being elected “on a regular diet of fear.” Kinzinger said GOP candidates across the United States have stepped up threats of “socialism” and absurd claims of impending liberal attacks in order to raise funds and overtake main Republican rivals. He described the rioters on the US Capitol on January 6 as a force of “pure evil” and a disturbing sign of the GOP’s future.

“We have learned, and I can only speak as a Republican looking at Republicans, we have learned that you can be elected with a constant diet of fear,” Kinzinger said on Real time with Bill Maher Friday night. “So every fundraising email is“ Send me $ 5 to make sure Nancy Pelosi doesn’t destroy your family. ”And it’s all about this fear diet. And ultimately, it’s no wonder that there is real damage to democracy. “

“It’s just fear … when you think it’s your final job or you’re going to go higher, you live in fear of whatever it takes,” Kinzinger said, pointing to the desperate efforts of many. legislators to stay in power at all costs.

Kinzinger said “tribal” politics across the country have allowed people to run for office who have “the inability to make independent decisions now,” which helps explain why angry Trump supporters have it. criticized for voting to remove the former president. He said friends and family sent a “certified second letter reiterating” their belief that he had kissed the devil and was turning away from Trump, whom they see as the “second coming of” [Jesus Christ]. “

“The level of brainwashing in some people … they really believe they are fighting the forces of evil just because the person they thought was the second coming [of Jesus Christ] happened to lose, ”Kinzinger told Maher.

Kinzinger said the satanic accusations by fanatic Trump supporters opened his eyes to the fact that Trump “was making these people believe that they were somehow doing a service for this country.” He noted that his state of mind as a veteran of the United States Army had enabled him to be “ready to give his career” to resist Trump’s hijacking of the party.

Kinzinger recently wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post who urged Republican senators to condemn Trump in order to reinsert responsibility.

“It is not a waste of time. It is a question of responsibility. If the GOP does not take a stand, the chaos of the last months and four years could quickly return. The future of our party and our country depends on confrontation with what happened – so it won’t happen again, “Kinzinger wrote, urging at least 17 Republicans to join Democrats in considering Trump’s conviction.

Trump won the 16th Congressional District from Kinzinger in the western suburbs of Chicago with 57% of the vote in the November 2020 election. Kinzinger won his general election, meaning his current term ends in January 2023. He entered first operated in 2013.

Kinzinger touted his “Country First” political action committee, which he called an effort to bring the Republican Party back to conservative principles.

Newsweek contacted Kinzinger’s office for further remarks on Saturday morning.