California study finds climate of fear driving local officials to quit amid harassment, abuse

by Rachel Locke, for The Conversation January 4, 2025January 6, 2025

AI ILLUSTRATION: Political discourse has deteriorated in recent times, with threats of violence and harassment growing against public officials. Many have cited such incidents as a reason why they choose not to run for office. (AI illustration by Glenn Gehlke/Local News Matters via Adobe Firefly)

THREATS AND HARASSMENT are pushing some politicians out of office, scaring off some would-be candidates and even compelling some elected officials to change their vote.

Those are some of the conclusions of a new study I led on political violence in Southern California.

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