Although nationwide divorce rates are declining, according to the most recent Census data available, divorces in Washington, D.C. are on the rise—and political differences are to blame, according to a new report. Multiple lawyers in the D.C.-Maryland-northern Virginia area told Axios that they have seen an increasing number of clients in the Beltway seeking to end their marriages due to irreconcilable political differences. One lawyer, family law attorney Jessica Markham, even said that social media posts about topics like conspiracy theories and gun rights have been used as evidence in custody battles. In another case, one parent blamed their spouse for “abandoning” the family to attend protests and rallies. According to Markham, many of these conflicts began during the COVID-19 pandemic, and have since escalated as the 2024 presidential election season hits its zenith.