President Biden hammered home the threat posed by election deniers and sustained assaults on democracy in a speech Wednesday evening that called on Americans to recognize what's at stake next Tuesday.
Why it matters: The results of this year's midterm elections will determine who controls the House and Senate. It's also the first national election since the Jan. 6 insurrection, which continues to cast a long shadow over the country.
What he's saying: "This is no ordinary year," Biden said in prepared remarks delivered at Union Station in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
- "In a typical year, we are not often faced with the question of whether the vote we cast will preserve democracy or put it at risk," he added. "But we are this year."
- "I wish I could say the assault on our democracy ended that day," he said, referring to the Capitol riots. "But I cannot."
"As I stand here today, there are candidates running for every level of office in America: for Governor, for Congress, for Attorney General, for Secretary of State who won’t commit to accepting the results of the elections they’re in."
- "That is the path to chaos in America. It’s unprecedented. It’s unlawful. And, It is un-American," he noted. "As I’ve said before, you can’t love your country only when you win."
The big picture: U.S. election officials have said they anticipate unprecedented efforts to disrupt the 2022 election, especially in battleground states.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout.
