I think the OP is right. The Republican Party leadership (excluding Trump) needs to call for everyone who broke a law during the invasion of the US Capitol to be pursued by the FBI and prosecuted under federal law to the maximum extent possible. Make it clear that anybody who was involved in the violence is a criminal and will be pursued as a criminal, and anyone who was trying to break into the legislative chambers will be charged with terrorism. Denounce anyone who called for violence against Congress or the state legislatures. And then follow up these statements continuously and with support for legislation and actions to maintain the security of government and elections. This event was an attempt by the far-right to violently confront the US Congress in person in its own chambers, and far worse could have happened than what did. The leadership of the Republican Party needs to recognise that, admit it, condemn it, repudiate it, and work to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
I don’t think it will happen. There are some leaders in the Republican Party who are genuinely far right, and they’re influential. There are many others who are simply populist, but are willing to pander to the vocal far-right. And there are too few that are willing to stand up to the Tea Party/Trumpist elements of the party.
Instead of asserting itself as the party of law and order, and discarding the reactionary, violence-approving section of its party, the Republican Party will try to ignore, obfuscate and diminish the attempted takeover of the US Capitol. There will be talk of underlying causes and the need for structural reform to address concerns, and little action or actual leadership to prevent a repeat of the event. Which means the next time the far-right finds a cause to rally around, its violent elements will be more organised, more aggressive, and more goal-oriented. The Capitol invasion was bad, but it could have been far, far worse. If no action is taken to marginalise the violent far-right, then the next such event will be worse. And that action needs to come from the political right, not the left. Otherwise, it’s just too sides shouting at each other, while the actual misfits plan and commit mayhem.