Local Republican leaders react to second assassination attempt on Trump

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Local Republican leaders gathered at country restaurant and bar Whiskey Roads on Sunday night, something they were already going to do. But on their minds was the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

Dave Smith is the chairman of the Pima County Republican Party and he said the attempt angered him. He’s angry at not just the would-be shooter, but also with the government.

“In my lifetime I’ve never seen so much violence so quickly,” Smith said. “How can this happen again? How much does the Secret Service need to be enforced against a man who’s obviously got threats.”

In July, after the first assassination attempt on former President Trump, both sides of the political aisle called for the intense political rhetoric to be toned down.

However, Smith said that he feels as if that quickly went away.

“We have signs going up that are vulgar against the MAGA right here in this town,” he said.

Kimberly McAllister is a representative of the Turning Point Action Faith Coalition and she said she also feels as if the toned down political rhetoric only lasted for a short time, and she doesn’t expect this time to be any different.

“I was just worried that [Trump] was ok,” McAllister said. “Maybe for a day or two people will try to be careful, but I think just like they did last time, they’ll go right back to it.”

She said she’s scared for the former president and his family, especially since this is the second time this has happened in the past few months.

“I’m guessing no one has ever prayed more for a potential president than they have right now,” she said.

The Arizona Republican Party’s chair Gina Swoboda said she’s calling for former President Trump to get an increase in security right away. She said he should get the same amount as a sitting president.

Meanwhile, Smith said while Trump’s visit to Tucson gave them a sense of a mission to help him, this second assassination attempt will lead Republicans to rally together.

“I hope this event is a unifying event…I think a lot of people are putting aside their internal party differences and unifying and that’s a very powerful thing,” he said.