Opinion: Stress testing trust in America

Throughout our history America has been regularly and repeatedly stress tested. The nation has been stress tested in world wars, economic depression, civil unrest and global pandemics. What we haven’t tested is our nation’s ability to endure and rise above challenging moments in the absence of trust.
The phrase “This is the most important election of our lifetime” was passionately proclaimed in 2020, in 2016, and even as far back as the early 1800s. The challenges we face today are significant — rising costs of living, political polarization, the upsurge of authoritarianism around the globe, the break-down of civil society and concerns about the future of our constitutional republic. I am convinced, however, that the most important stress test of the 2024 election won’t be determined by which political party controls Congress or the White House, but whether or not “we the people” can overcome our current crisis of trust.
The undermining of trust often begins with the vilification of political opponents as “existential threats” to democracy. The consequences of demonizing our opponents and the weaponization of words is that it both undermines trust and leads to physical violence.
Recent attempts on the life of a former president, threats on the lives of Supreme Court Justices and intimidation of election officials are all predictable consequences of a society lacking trust in institutions, leaders and fellow citizens. Such acts of violence are a stark reminder of how fragile our constitutional republic can be and how rapidly society can unravel when we allow extreme rhetoric to undermine truth and erode trust.
I was in the Capitol complex on January 6th, when a mob tried to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power — one of the most fundamental tenets of our democracy. Despite an assault on truth, trust and the many horrific images of that devastating day, a truly inspiring moment occurred just hours after the Capitol was breached: in a simple moment, then-Vice President Mike Pence pounded the gavel and called the United States Senate back into session and the work of the people, the certifying of the election, continued. The institutions of government held, and America rolled on.
Sadly, since that day many have tried to discredit our electoral process and undermine trust in our system. In my home state of Utah, we know better. I have seen firsthand the dedication and transparency of our election officials. Utah’s elections are free and fair, and there is no evidence to believe otherwise. In fact, of all the investigations, commissions and studies of voter fraud in Utah, the most noted has been parents voting on behalf of their children serving missions abroad — not exactly the existential crisis some have claimed.
America is not perfect. We often fail to live up to the principles we profess to believe, but we remain that beacon to the world because our system works. It works because of the commitment we all share to the principles of integrity and transparency, truth and trust. When there are discrepancies or irregularities, we have systems to adjudicate those. We accept the results and then we move on — together.
To that end, I pledge today that I will respect and accept the outcome of the November 5th election, both for my own race and for the presidency. Whoever wins, I will stand on inauguration day, as I have in the past, to congratulate the winners as they take the oath of office.
This is not just about an election; it’s about the future of our country. We must come together, strengthen our trust in our institutions and each other as fellow citizens so that we are in a position of united strength to solve the many significant issues we face.
Utah’s elections, and those across the nation, are the bedrock of our democracy. I will always stand for the peaceful, trust-producing transfer of power that has made America a stress-tested beacon of hope and freedom to the world.
Rep. John Curtis is the U.S. representative for Utah’s 3rd congressional district and a candidate for the U.S. Senate.