Sen. Rand Paul unloaded on Democrats Thursday, saying they have controlled the country’s most violent cities for decades and have done little to solve the situation, and urged voters to rethink their choices.
“Rise up,” the Kentucky Republican said. “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again. Quit electing the people who are allowing your cities to go to rot and ruin.”
Mr. Paul was speaking at a Senate hearing on the violent riots that targeted the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, which have become conflated with another federal operation to surge Justice Department and Homeland Security agents to Kansas City, Chicago and other cities suffering rises in violent street crimes.
The senator said the common theme among the violent cities is their voting pattern.
“All these cities are run by Democrats, and have been for 50 years,” he said.
In Portland, he suggested voters oust Mayor Ted Wheeler, who Mr. Paul said allowed peaceful protests to spiral into violence. He also suggested a recall of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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