Washington, Spokane-area political leaders react to ‘horrendous’ shooting at Trump rally that injured former president

As news broke that former U.S. President Donald Trump had reportedly suffered a gunshot wound from an assassination attempt at a campaign rally Saturday afternoon, local political figures expressed shock and outrage.

Trump was speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when shots rang out. CNN reported that the Secret Service returned fire and killed the shooter, and that one person in the audience was also killed. Two others were seriously injured in the incident, which the outlet reported is being investigated as an assassination attempt.

The office of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee denounced the reported shooting in a statement minutes after news about it rung out across the world.

“Violence has no place in politics, ever,” Inslee wrote. “I hope whoever perpetrated today’s attack is held to account. Our thoughts are with all who attended the former president’s event, and I join the many others who are expressing gratitude for the Secret Service and first responders.”

Driving home from a day trip in downtown Spokane, state Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, heard his phone go off. He had received a text from his legislative aide – a rare occurrence for a Saturday afternoon in the summer. He learned news of the reported shooting and rushed home to turn on the TV.

“What a horrendous, horrendous thing,” Padden said in a phone interview. “The area he was in are very strong supporters of his. But he was defiant after the shot and let everybody know he was all right. He’s a very resilient, tough guy. I’m thankful for law enforcement, Secret Service, everybody who did their job.”

Padden added Saturday’s events reminded him of the shooting and wounding of former President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981.

“That one picture of Trump with his fist in the air – with blood on his face, the flag in the background – that’s going to be with us a long, long time,” Padden said. “We wish him all a speedy recovery. We need to be able to have rallies and things like that without this sort of violence.”

State Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, was sitting with a group of Republican national delegates at a Milwaukee Brewers baseball game Saturday afternoon when he heard the news. Walsh, who chairs the Washington state Republican Party, said he and other political leaders flew out to Milwaukee to set up for next week’s Republican National Convention.

“The amount of vitriol and hate directed at Donald Trump is all out of proportion to reality,” Walsh said. “The rhetoric we see – on television and in the online media – can inflame violence. As we move away from this, the message is going to be: Let’s dial down the hate rhetoric, the vitriol.”

As far as Walsh had heard Saturday afternoon, plans were still moving forward to hold the Republican National Convention as scheduled, most likely with heightened security.

“I assume what was already high-security will now be very, very high-security,” Walsh said.

The Washington state Republican Party also called for payers for the former president in a statement.

“America’s President,” a state GOP spokesperson wrote. “America’s Warrior.”

MJ Bolt, chairwoman of the Spokane County Republican Party, said Saturday evening her thoughts are with everyone affected by the “senseless violence in Pennsylvania.”

“Our prayers are with President Trump and his family, as well as the innocent victim,” Bolt said in a brief interview.

In a statement on the party’s Facebook page, Bolt expressed “unwavering support” for the former president.

“This attack is not just an assault on a single individual but a direct challenge to our nation’s values and the principles we hold dear,” the statement said. “We stand firmly with President Trump, united in our resolve to condemn such acts of violence and uphold the integrity of our democracy.”

Naida Spencer, Spokane County Democratic Party chair, said she was horrified when she heard about the shooting because violence against politicians, whether someone agrees with them or not, is unacceptable under any circumstances.

“Part of what makes the U.S. great is the free exchange of ideas,” she said. “No one deserves to be shot.”

Spencer said the shooter and the motives are unknown, but she does not think this event will have any impact on the presidential race.

“It sounds like the Secret Service is doing their due diligence,” she said. “I would just request that people not try to speculate and wait for the facts to come out.”

Republican state Rep. Jenny Graham of Spokane called Saturday a “sad day in America.”

“I join millions of other Americans who are denouncing the human violence perpetrated by a human predator. My condolences go out to the victims and loved ones harmed or killed today by a selfish murderer. Our family joins others across the nation who are joined in prayer for our nation,” Graham wrote in a text to a reporter. “This is wrong regardless of who is targeted. We are better than this. I wish former President Trump and others a speedy recovery and support that many crime victims never receive.”

Spokesman-Review reporters Alexandria Osborne and James Hanlon contributed to this report.