title: Assessing the link between violent political rhetoric and mass shootings
abstract: Why do politicians endorse violence against domestic political opponents? Which politicians employ violent rhetoric, and when is the public receptive to these appeals? These questions are puzzling, because survey data suggests the public reacts negatively to the use of violent rhetoric. So why do politicians still use it? I investigate the public's reaction to violent rhetoric and how politicians strategically use it in Ukraine and the U.S. Both countries represent important contexts to explore 