Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) told Axios: “There’s a lot of us that are extremely frustrated with Republicans for doing this but also want our colleagues to be comfortable enough to stand up and defend our values rather than running to some other message or running away from it.”

“I think that’s starting to happen,” said Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said: “It is very clear that the other side is going to continue to sort of fear-monger as a way to drum up support. For some [voters] that works, but I think pushing back works too.”

Driving the news: Until last week, Democrats felt they didn’t have a clear, firebrand example for how to successfully push back on these attacks — even though the party’s leaders control the White House and both chambers of Congress.

Now, they believe they have at least one: little-known Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow.