Jim Clyburn, Cedric Richmond and others suggest that "defund the police" cost Democrats

[MineralMan]

25. It started in Minnesota, after the murder of George Floyd.

It soon gained strength around the country and the world.

In reality, that slogan did cost Democrats some House and State Legislative seats. In conservative districts where Democrats were hanging by a thread, their opponents tied the candidates to that slogan and to people like Ilhan Omar and OAC. In some cases, as in at least one House race in Minnesota, that was enough to give the Republican a win.

As elsewhere, we had a couple of districts with Democratic legislators, but where Trump won handily in 2016. In those districts tying the Democratic incumbent with the "Defund the police" slogan over and over again in campaign ads was enough to change the outcome.

It didn't matter what the Democratic candidate said. The connection was enough to swing some votes and cause Democrats in conservative districts to lose.

So, to that extent, the claim is true.