Alan Kinzinger #2

The Conservative Patriot

When Adam Kinzinger was sworn into Congress in January 2011, he stood on the steps of the Capitol with pride. For many freshman representatives, the gravity of the moment was fleeting, quickly replaced by the frenzied world of deals, press briefings, and closed-door meetings. But for Kinzinger, the oath he took—to protect and defend the Constitution—wasn’t just a formality. It was a personal pledge.

Representing Illinois’ 16th Congressional District, which stretched across the heartland of America, Kinzinger knew the values of his constituents because they were his values too: hard work, faith, service, and family. The people of his district wanted a congressman who was tough but reasonable—someone who could push for conservative principles without succumbing to the extremes of partisanship.

At first, he fit seamlessly into the Republican wave that had been ushered in by frustration with the Obama administration's policies, particularly the Affordable Care Act. Kinzinger voted to repeal it, citing concerns about government overreach. But even during the height of Tea Party fervor, he rejected inflammatory rhetoric and political grandstanding. He focused instead on bills that supported military service members, veterans, and rural development. His patriotism was apparent, but it was not performative—it was deeply rooted in results.

Kinzinger quickly built a reputation as someone who was willing to reach across the aisle without compromising his conservative principles. He supported initiatives to strengthen border security, but he also sought humane immigration reforms. He opposed wasteful government spending, but he spoke passionately about the need for smart investments in infrastructure and national defense.

Even Democrats grudgingly respected him. "Adam has this old-school sense of duty," one House colleague said. "You don’t see that much anymore." He viewed his service in Congress as an extension of his military service—a chance to defend the nation’s values, not attack those with differing views.

Despite his early successes, Kinzinger began noticing troubling signs within the Republican Party. The 2016 election, in particular, marked a turning point. While many Republicans initially dismissed Donald Trump’s rhetoric as bluster, Kinzinger was concerned. Trump’s vilification of immigrants, his attacks on the press, and his praise for authoritarian leaders were antithetical to the values Kinzinger held dear.

At first, Kinzinger tried to focus on his work, hoping that Trump’s behavior wouldn’t define the party. But after Trump’s shocking comments following the Charlottesville rally in 2017—where Trump suggested there were “very fine people on both sides”—Kinzinger couldn’t remain silent. He issued a rare public rebuke, stating, “There is no moral equivalency between white supremacists and those who stand against hate.”

The backlash was immediate. Conservative media criticized him for “betraying the president.” His social media accounts filled with angry messages accusing him of being a traitor. But Kinzinger stood firm. "Patriotism isn’t about blind loyalty," he told an interviewer. "It’s about defending what’s right, even when it’s unpopular."

As Trump consolidated power within the Republican Party, Kinzinger found himself increasingly isolated. Many of his colleagues who once privately expressed concerns about Trump’s behavior now toed the party line for fear of losing support. They defended Trump’s inflammatory tweets, his attacks on democratic institutions, and his dismissal of foreign election interference.

But Kinzinger refused to join them. He became one of the few Republicans who openly criticized Trump’s handling of the presidency, particularly on matters of national security. He was vocal about Trump’s failure to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for election meddling, stating, “We don’t negotiate with bullies. We stand up to them.”

By 2019, Kinzinger’s name was no longer mentioned in the same breath as rising Republican stars. Instead, he was being quietly sidelined by party leadership. But he didn’t care about political ambitions—he cared about preserving American democracy.

When the House of Representatives began its first impeachment proceedings against Trump in 2019 over his attempts to pressure Ukraine’s president to investigate a political rival, Kinzinger faced a gut-wrenching decision. Though he didn’t agree with every aspect of the inquiry, he felt that Trump’s behavior—particularly the attempt to withhold military aid from an ally in exchange for personal political gain—was indefensible.

Instead of hiding from the issue, Kinzinger spoke out, calling Trump’s actions "damaging to America’s credibility on the world stage." While he didn’t vote to impeach Trump in 2019, his words made it clear that he was watching—and that his patience was running out.

By 2020, as the nation headed into a bitter election year, Kinzinger knew he was in for the fight of his political life. When Trump began sowing doubt about the legitimacy of the election before votes were even cast, Kinzinger was one of the few Republicans who publicly condemned the strategy. "Leaders don’t spread fear to keep power—they inspire trust in the process," he said in a widely shared interview.

His words fell on deaf ears. As Trump’s claims of election fraud gained traction among his base, Kinzinger watched in dismay as many of his Republican colleagues either echoed the lies or remained silent out of fear. His warnings grew more urgent after the election results were clear: Joe Biden had won. Kinzinger was blunt, tweeting, "The election wasn’t stolen. Telling people otherwise is dangerous and irresponsible."

The Republican Party, however, had reached a breaking point. Trump’s refusal to concede set the stage for a showdown that would change the course of history—and Kinzinger’s life—forever.

On December 19, 2020, Trump issued a chilling tweet: “Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!” Kinzinger knew exactly what Trump was doing—riling up his supporters for a final attempt to overturn the election. He sounded the alarm, warning that such rhetoric was not only irresponsible but dangerous.

Yet even Kinzinger, with all his experience in combat zones, couldn’t have imagined the scale of the storm that was brewing. As January 6th approached, the Capitol braced for the unimaginable.

Kinzinger had no way of knowing that the events of that day would become the defining test of his patriotism and courage.