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An Ohio state senator has issued a groveling apology after he said it would take “a civil war” to save the country if Republicans lose to Democrats in the 2024 presidential election.
At a rally in Middletown, Ohio, on Monday, Republican state Senator George Lang took to the stage before Ohio Senator JD Vance, Donald Trump’s newly-named running mate.
Lang’s remarks began with chants of “Fight! Fight! Fight!” – echoing Trump’s chant in the immediate aftermath of an assassination attempt – before he dived into his speech in support of Vance and the former president.
“We are in the fight for the soul of our nation,” Lang said. “We are in a fight for our kids and our grandkids, a fight we could never imagine.
“I believe wholeheartedly Donald Trump and Butler County’s JD Vance are the last chance to save our country politically. I’m afraid if we lose this one, it’s going to take a civil war to save the country, and it will be saved.”
He continued: “It’s the greatest experiment in the history of mankind, and if we come down to a civil war, I’m glad we got people like … Bikers for Trump on our side.”
Backlash quickly erupted on social media, with Tom Cooke, who is challenging Lang in the state senate, calling his comments “dangerous” and saying he “won’t stand for this type of rhetoric.”
Republicans Against Trump posted on X that Lang’s comments were “incredibly dangerous rhetoric.”
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign also gave a statement to the Cincinnati Enquirer calling for Trump and Vance to “apologize” over the speaker’s comments at their campaign rally.
“Donald Trump and JD Vance are running a campaign openly sowing hatred and promising revenge against their political opponents,” the statement said.
“It’s a feature, not a bug, of their campaign and message to the American people. That’s why a Republican official was empowered to predict a civil war while introducing these candidates.
“Trump and Vance pay lip service to unity, but their actions are more focused on dividing Americans than bringing us together. It’s the polar opposite of everything Vice President Harris stands for. Donald Trump and JD Vance should denounce George Lang’s calls for violence and apologize for platforming this kind of violence.”
President Joe Biden also spoke out against Lang’s remarks on social media while endorsing Harris, asking people to “solve our problems with ballots.”
“Folks, calls to violence threaten our democracy’s foundation,” Biden wrote on X. “You can’t love your country only when you win.”
Lang later took to X to apologize for his choice of words at the rally, saying he “regrets” the “divisive remarks”.
“Remarks I made earlier today at a rally in Middletown do not accurately reflect my views. I regret the divisive remarks I made in excitement of the moment on stage,” he stated.
“Especially in light of the assassination attempt on President Trump last week, we should all be mindful of what is said at political events, myself included.”
Both sides of the political aisle have called for rhetoric to be dialled down in the wake of the assassination attempt on Trump at a campaign rally on July 13.
After the shooting, Trump initally claimed he had a new focus on uniting the US – but has quickly returned to attacking his rivals on Truth Social.
Vance’s spokesperson Taylor Van Kirk told the Enquirer that the vice presidential candidate was glad that Lang apologized: “Senator Vance agrees with President Trump that we need to unite the country, and he was glad to hear that State Senator Lang walked back those comments.”
The Independent has contacted Lang for further comment.
