Colorado’s elected officials and political candidates are offering prayers for former President Donald Trump and others after a shooting at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania Saturday evening.
Trump is safe according to his campaign. The suspected shooter and an audience member are dead.
Law enforcement officials say the shooting is being investigated as an attempted assassination of the ex-president, according to The Associated Press.
Trump was bleeding from his ear after the sounds, was briefly tackled and protected by Secret Service agents, stood up and shook his fist at the crowd before being whisked away.
The Associated Press reported Saturday that the suspected shooter and at least one person at the rally had died.
Colorado Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn posted on social media that he’s “praying for President Trump, his family, and everyone in attendance today. We all wish him a speedy recovery from any harm done to him.”
Ardent Trump backer GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert tweeted out a photo of Trump bloodied, surrounded by Secret Service, with his fist in the air, with the caption “MY PRESIDENT.”
She also cast blame on President Joe Biden using her official X account. She sent out a quote, “It’s time to put Trump in the bull’s-eye,” which she attributed to Joe Biden. It was in media reports about a call with donors. And after the quote she wrote, “Shame on him.”
After offering his prayers for Trump, former GOP Sen. Cory Gardner added, “God bless the Secret Service and all who responded.”
Republican Rep. Greg Lopez offered prayers and added “Evil and violence must never win.”
Republican candidate for the 8th Congressional District Gabe Evans wrote on social media: “Praying for President Donald Trump following today’s apparent shooting at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania.” GOP candidate for the 3rd Congressional District Jeff Hurd also added his prayers and wrote, “An attack like this on the President is an attack on our country.”
Many others, however, also took the opportunity to try and bring down the political temperature.
Colorado’s top law enforcement officer, Attorney General Phil Weiser described the news as scary. But he added on social media, “political violence has no place in America. Our differences must be solved at the ballot box.”
“Political violence is never the answer in democracy,” said Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper. “Hoping former President Trump recovers from this terrible attack.”
“Political violence in any form is unacceptable,” wrote Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, who praised law enforcement for their “immediate response.”
Democratic Rep. Jason Crow was blunt, “Political violence has no place in our democracy. Period,” adding his thoughts are with Trump and all those impacted.
“There is no place in our country for political violence and we strongly condemn the attack on former President Trump at his rally,” Shad Murib, the head of the state Democratic Party, said. “We are heartbroken to hear that someone was killed and the Colorado Democrats are holding the entire community of Butler in our thoughts.”
Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse also decried political violence. “Our country must be better than this.”
And Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen also wrote that, “violence is absolutely never acceptable,” and “I’m grateful the former president is okay, but those responsible must be held fully accountable.”
Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo added, “What happened tonight must be condemned by all Americans. We are a democracy.”
While Democratic candidate for the 3rd Congressional District Adam Frisch also said, “there is zero tolerance for political violence – ever. Praying for everyone at the rally in Butler today.”
Meanwhile, Gov. Jared Polis, who along with Republican Gov. Spencer Cox, has for months been calling for healthy political debate and how to disagree better politically, condemned what happened.
“I’m glad to hear President Trump is doing well following this terrible act of violence. Violence is never acceptable,” Polis wrote on social media.
To read more stories from Colorado Public Radio, visit www.cpr.org.
