The photo that was supposed to end Josh Hawley’s career? He put it on a coffee mug.
After the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, some believed that a photo of Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley raising a fist to protesters gathered outside the Capitol that day would sink his political career.
Instead, a little more than a year later, Hawley’s campaign has plastered the photo on coffee mugs over the words “Josh Hawley: show-me strong!”
They’re selling for $20.
“Liberals are so easily triggered, and this new mug is really whipping the left into a frenzy!” the fundraising email says. “Josh isn’t scared — he’s show-me strong! This Made in America mug is the perfect way to enjoy Coffee, Tea, or Liberal Tears! Check it out below, and order one for yourself or any woke friend or family member that you want to trigger!”
The photo of Hawley raising his fist to protesters went viral after January 6, when pro-Trump rioters violently stormed the Capitol and disrupted the certification of the 2020 Presidential election, sending lawmakers and staff into secure locations in the Capitol.
Hawley was the first Senator to say he would object to the certification of the election, citing concerns about Pennsylvania’s vote because a challenge to the state’s mail-in ballots was dismissed by the Pennsylvania courts on procedural grounds instead of the merits of the case.
Many Republicans blamed Hawley for his role in the events of January 6 following the insurrection. Some of his career mentors disavowed him. Democrats asked the Senate Ethics Committee to censure him. Protesters called for his resignation and companies pledged not to make any donations to his campaign account.
Still, Hawley has seen few political repercussions. His campaign quadrupled the amount of money it raised in 2020 — even after swearing off corporate PAC donations — and he remains popular among Missouri Republicans. He has still been able to co-sponsor bills with Democratic Senators and was able to secure amendments in the National Defense Authorization Act.
The national Republican Party has appeared divided on how to address the January 6 riot. The Republican National Committee called the January 6 riot “legitimate political discourse” after they voted to censure two Republican representatives for serving on the House of Representatives committee investigating the events of the day.
The vote sparked a backlash among some senators, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell saying it was a “violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, after a legitimately-certified election, from one administration to the next.”
Hawley told reporters the vote likely reflected how the majority of Missouri Republicans feel about what happened on January 6 and urged Washington, D.C. Republicans to stay out of the issue.
Similar Hawley mugs appeared at Lincoln Days in St. Charles this weekend, where Hawley endorsed Rep. Vicky Hartzler in the competitive primary for U.S. Senate.
Rep. Billy Long, who is also running for U.S. Senate, posted on Twitter that the mugs handed out at Lincoln Days had “Made in China” stickers on them. The fundraising email specifies that the $20 mug is made in America.
This story was originally published February 14, 2022 at 12:09 PM.