Democratic candidates are facing tough questions about their past support for defunding the police, a prominent demand during the protests that followed George Floyd’s death. Now, they are reimagining public safety services or redirecting some police departments’ funds to other social programs.

Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidate Reckons with Past ‘Defund’ Rhetoric

In Wisconsin, a swing state known for razor-thin elections, insurgent democratic socialist State Rep. Francesca Hong has upended the Democratic gubernatorial primary by running far to the left. Hong has captured the imaginations of liberal Democrats upset with the party establishment, but she’s also raised concerns among more moderate Democrats that her past support for defunding the police would hurt her chances in the general election.

Hong said in a 2020 social media post that she supported defunding the police as a first step towards abolishing the police. However, as a candidate for governor, Hong has softened her tone while not disavowing her past statements. On Tuesday night, in the only televised debate ahead of the Aug. 11 primary, Hong said she did not support cutting police funding.

New York, Michigan Politicians Distance Themselves from ‘Defund’ Calls

In neighboring Michigan, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has faced questions about his past support for defunding the police. El-Sayed now says he rejects the idea. In New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has tried to distance himself from his past criticisms of the city’s police department and a previous call to defund the agency.

The backtracking illustrates how the politics of criminal justice have shifted since 2020, posing dilemmas for Democrats’ midterm strategy and their ability to enact their preferred solutions.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.