Finally, this election comes on the heels of a once-in-a-lifetime trauma – one that has been felt in every corner of this country, in every household and every community. Americans are still grappling with the tumult and tragedy of the past year, from lives lost to families kept apart, from jobs lost to bills left unpaid. This wasn’t just a distant event that people felt by watching on TV. Every family felt the pain of the pandemic. And people have decided whom they trust to combat COVID-19: Joe Biden and the Democrats have a 21-point lead over the Republicans (54% to 33%). That is not, however, a signal to feel confident. After September 11, 2001, people across the country were afraid. That fear kept the Republican majority in power in Congress despite historical trends. While the COVID-19 pandemic has left different scars on families than the 9/11 attacks did, the wounds run as deep, if not deeper – deep enough to drive another history-defying midterm where voters don’t trust the party out of power to keep them safe from the threat.