Jimmy Carter: U.S. is at risk of "losing our precious democracy"

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"We are at genuine risk of civil conflict and losing our precious democracy," former President Jimmy Carter warned ahead of the first anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Why it matters: Carter rebuked lawmakers in his home state last year for pushing voting restrictions and has continued to speak out against interference in elections.

What he's saying: "One year ago, a violent mob, guided by unscrupulous politicians, stormed the Capitol and almost succeeded in preventing the democratic transfer of power," Carter wrote in the op-ed published Wednesday in The New York Times.

• "[O]ne year on, promoters of the lie that the election was stolen have taken over one political party and stoked distrust in our electoral systems," the Democrat noted, adding: "These forces exert power and influence through relentless disinformation, which continues to turn Americans against Americans."
• "Politicians in my home state of Georgia, as well as in others, such as Texas and Florida, have leveraged the distrust they have created to enact laws that empower partisan legislatures to intervene in election processes," he said.

Worth noting: A majority of Americans expect a repeat of the Jan. 6 attack in the next few years, per a new Axios-Momentive poll. Just half say they have faith in American democracy.

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