Trump and DeSantis Praise Executions; Biden Remains Silent, Takes No Action
Capital punishment may become a major campaign issue in the upcoming U.S. presidential race, with top Republican contenders Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis advocating for tougher death penalty laws. Death penalty opponents are also targeting Democratic President Joe Biden, who has not taken any action to fulfill his campaign pledge to eliminate capital punishment.
The issue of the death penalty became prominent when a federal jury sentenced Robert Bowers to death for killing 11 people in a synagogue. Trump, who oversaw 13 federal executions during his presidency, has already made capital punishment a focus in his current campaign. DeSantis, the governor of Florida, has also signed death warrants and implemented two death penalty laws.
Biden’s silence on the issue has prompted activists to call on him to address it, and they may pressure campaign debate moderators to pose questions about capital punishment. However, Biden’s reluctance to make it a campaign issue is understandable, as support for the death penalty has declined over the years. In recent history, it was prominently discussed during the 1988 presidential race between George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis, when Bush criticized Dukakis’ opposition to capital punishment.
While Trump’s tough stance on crime and his record on executions may have influenced DeSantis, he lacks Trump’s ability to rally voters with anti-crime rhetoric. Biden’s previous support for the death penalty as a senator has been overshadowed by his more recent opposition, but he has not taken any steps to fulfill his promise to abolish capital punishment as president. Biden’s silence may be a calculated strategy, as his supporters are unlikely to vote for a Republican candidate like Trump. However, the landscape may be changing as public opinion evolves, allowing politicians to take a stance on the issue without fear of political repercussions.
