GOP officials advocate for lowering political strife

Local, state and federal Republican Party officials reacted with sadness Monday to Saturday’s assassination attempt of former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump, saying more should be done to protect presidential candidates.

Some officials reached about the shooting advocated for this to be a moment for the country to lower level of political rhetoric and divides people by political affiliation.

“I think it has probably been said before: We are all supposed to be Americans,” Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson said. “If we don’t tamp down the discourse, something like this was bound to happen.”

Trump was struck in the ear during the shooting at a campaign rally Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania. An audience member, Corey Comperatore was killed in the shooting, and two other people were shot and hospitalized.

“It was horrific,” said Rep. Brett Guthrie, who represents the state’s Second District, which includes Owensboro. “Someone I know who talked to him (Trump) said he was thinking about the person that was killed, how distraught he was that someone was killed at his rally.”

“Like President Trump, the next morning I sat around thinking about the person that was killed,” Guthrie said.

Comperatore is reported to have been shot while trying to shield family members from the gunfire.

“A father sacrificing for his child (is) a person of real character,” Guthrie said.

The shooting will be investigated and a House Oversight Committee would also hold a hearing on Secret Service preparations for the rally next week. Media reports say the shooter, Thomas, Matthew Crooks, was able to fire an automatic rifle at the stage where Trump was speaking from atop a building 140 yards away.

“I think the Lord, and St. Michael were leaning over former President Trump” at the time of the shooting, Watson said.

Of the incident, Watson said, “at this point, what’s the need for blame? There’s a need to find a way to keep it from happening again.”

But Watson said, “I think we are more interested in blame than keeping it from happening again.”

Watson said people do need to stop with rhetoric that portrays people with different political opinions as adversaries.

“I think we need to follow the common ground,” Watson said. “We can’t agree on everything, but (we can) find some things to agree on.

“At my age, trying to find something of value in everybody” is important, Watson said. Later, he said, “maybe this will be an opportunity for people to calm down and talk about issues, instead of personalities.”

Darrin Tapp, head of the Daviess County Republican Party, declined to comment Monday.

State Sen. Gary Boswell, an Owensboro Republican, said he was working on his farm when he heard of the incident and “literally had to stop” to absorb the news.

“God saved his life,” Boswell said of Trump.

Boswell said violence against people because of politics was unacceptable.

“I don’t want anybody shot, not Joe Biden, his son or his family,” Boswell said.

Boswell said the incident “could lead to a kinder, gentler environment,” and that, “and I would hope Mr. Donald Trump would also follow that path.”

“I think, in general, both parities have been a little guilty,” Boswell said, and that, “I think one party is more (guilty) than the other.” The rhetoric around politics has also impacted actions at the state capitol, Boswell said.

“When we were in session last year, we had state police escorts, and had threats,” Boswell said. “I had threats that almost resulted in serious action. We have to watch what we say. I think that’s the message for everybody — to tone it down.”

Regarding the shooting, Boswell said, “I think it was a complete and utter failure by the FBI and Secret Service that allowed it to happen. ...Thankfully, he (Trump) was not killed, and the country is better off for it, because there would have been complete turmoil.”

Boswell said Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. should also receive Secret Service protection. On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security announced Kennedy would receive a Secret Service detail.

Guthrie said, “I don’t know what motivated (Crooks) to do what he did,” but that he felt heated political attacks led to the assassination attempt.

Gurthie said, “I’ve never shied away from a political debate,” but said he does not engage in attacking opponents.

“It’s OK to have disagreements: That’s why we have political parties, to put forth our visions” for the country, Guthrie said. “But to demonize the other is wrong.”

Guthrie said, after the shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise, a Louisiana congressman in 2017, other Republican members of Congress received messages that said, “one down, 231 to go.”

Both Biden and Trump have called for unity since shooting.

“I do think it’s good for the President, and President Trump, to bring us together,” Guthrie said. “I think we can be better than what we’ve seen over the weekend. I know we are.”

This week is the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, and Guthrie said he has heard Trump is completely rewriting his Thursday night speech, and that the issue on Trump’s mind was, ‘how are we going to bring people together?’ ”

Daviess Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen while he was “very disappointed” at the news of the shooting, “I wasn’t terribly surprised an attempt was made.”

“I think God’s hand was on President Trump,” Castlen said, and that, “I’m pleased for the nation that we didn’t witness much worse.”

Castlen said, “Hopefully going forward, there won’t be any more attempts.”

At future rallies during the presidential campaign, Castlen said he hopes “there will be better coverage from the security team.”

“They should never leave an elevated line-of-sight uncovered,” Castlen said.

Regarding political rhetoric, Castlen said he tries to avoid social media, but that, “when you look at some of the comments people have made, it’s like, ‘this is a human being’" who is being vilified.

Political violence is damaging for the country, Castlen said.

“I don’t want for Biden to be taken out. I don’t want that for President Obama,” Castlen said.

Castlen said he hopes there will be a calming of the political anger in the wake of Saturday’s shooting.

“I hope it will. I don’t know that I’m confident it will,” Castlen said. “Only time will tell.”