SPOKANE, Wash. – While Donald Trump’s assassination attempt shocked the nation as the first attempt on a President’s life in 43 years, it follows a trend of growing political violence throughout the nation.
“The last time you saw this type of political violence in our politics was during the 1960s,” Cornell Clayton, the director of the Thomas S. Foley Institute of Public Policy and Public Service at Washington State University said. “We were deeply polarized along the lines of race, the Vietnam War and our change in social/cultural attitudes around women… and that led to the assassination of one President, the assassination of a Presidential candidate in Bobby Kennedy and the assassination of a civil rights leader in Martin Luther King (Jr.).”
This rise in violence and threats has been seen locally in Spokane and the Inland Northwest. In 2020, the Spokane County Democratic headquarters was
In 2023, the Spokane County Elections Office was sent letters with a mysterious white powder, later tested to be fentanyl, and while votes were being counted.
“We started seeing a lot more violence last year at our booths, at our events,” Spokane Democrats Chairwoman Naida Spencer said. “Security for the Democrats has always been concerned.” “Let’s not put people’s lives in jeopardy anymore, let’s not put their family’s lives in jeopardy,” Spokane County GOP Chairwoman MJ Bolt said. “Good people don’t want to run for any kind of position anymore.” Both leaders agreed, the attempt on former President Trump’s life was horrendous, and hopes this serves as a wake-up call for the nation. “It doesn’t matter how much we disagree, violence is never acceptable, especially political violence,” Spencer said. “I just hope this brings us back to our humanity,” Bolt said.
