The Sconi

Jay Weber, a radio host at WISN-Milwaukee, said that violent crime is concentrated in Democratic-run cities, including those within Republican states. This statement was made on the social media platform X.

"What is he talking about? The most crime ridden cities are Chicago, NY, LA, Milw, Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland, Oakland, San Francisco...etc. All in blue states," said Weber, Talkshow Host. "Meanwhile, the high crime cities in the red states have been run by democrats for decades."

Crime remains a contentious issue in national politics, with Democrats and Republicans exchanging blame over rising violence in urban areas. While critics often point to Democratic-led cities such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, broader data complicates this narrative. According to Axios, many of the U.S. cities with the highest homicide rates are located in Republican-led states. Specifically, 13 of the top 20 cities for murder rates are in these states, indicating that crime trends cannot be solely attributed to mayoral party control.

Recent statistics reveal variations among major cities: Chicago's violent crime rate was 3,926 per 100,000 residents in 2020. In contrast, New York City's homicide rate was just 4.1 per 100,000 in 2024, below the national average of 5.6. San Francisco reported a 14% decline in violent crime and a 30% drop in property crime in 2024, with a homicide rate near 4 per 100,000. These data points from Wikipedia crime summaries and city reports highlight that large urban centers often outperform smaller jurisdictions on key metrics.

Over the past decade, researchers have found little evidence that a mayor's political affiliation drives crime outcomes. A Harvard study examining nearly 400 cities over thirty years concluded that Democratic or Republican control had negligible influence compared to socioeconomic conditions. The Harvard Gazette reported that factors such as poverty, inequality, and policing policy are far stronger predictors of violent crime trends than partisan leadership.

Weber has been a fixture on WISN-Milwaukee since 1990, starting as a news anchor before becoming host of The Jay Weber Show on News/Talk 1130. Known for his conservative commentary, he covers politics, culture, and current events with an emphasis on engaging debate and often encourages opposing viewpoints. According to iHeartMedia’s program bio, Weber’s show is one of the most prominent right-leaning voices in Wisconsin radio.