Frustrations with political rhetoric emerge after rally shooting

Frustrations with the political climate in the U.S. reached a boiling point after last week's attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, prompting calls for civility and unity from local residents and Montana's elected officials alike.

“Politics has gotten so disgusting, and the hate has gotten out of hand,” said Bigfork resident Shelley Gonzalez on Thursday afternoon.   

A self-described moderate Republican, Gonzalez said she struggles with finding any candidate to vote for. The extremist sector is the only one that seems to succeed, she said, yet an extremist politician is not what most Americans want.   

“It’s just very frightening,” she said.  

At a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, a shooter perched on top of a building just 400 feet from the stage opened fire. One bullet grazed the former president’s ear, while one rally attendee was killed, and two others injured.   

An investigation into the shooting is ongoing, but the incident rattled political discourse across the nation amid a heated presidential election.  

“I could feel it coming. I’m honestly surprised it took this long,” commented Tom Bohnsack on Thursday, a Republican and Trump supporter from Kalispell.   

Bohnsack, wearing a Trump hat, expressed gratitude that the attempted assassination was not successful. Democratic rhetoric, he said, was “completely responsible for this.”  

The shooter, a 20-year-old male from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was a registered Republican, but previously donated $15 to a Democratic-aligned organization. Investigators are still searching for a motive. 

Bohnsack hopes that in the aftermath of the event, people will have a more positive view of the former president. 

For Democrat voter Katy Meyers, last week's shooting reinforced the importance of honesty in politics. Fact checking should be more prevalent in the effort to avoid disparaging rhetoric, the Kalispell resident said. 

She also pointed to a proliferation of gun violence in the U.S.  

The rally shooter used his father’s AR-15 style rifle and had purchased 50 rounds of ammunition prior to the event, according to news reports. Investigators also found at least a dozen guns inside his home and the makings of explosive devices in his car. 

“It’s sad that there’s so much violence in the country,” she said Wednesday. “In my opinion, it's the guns, there are too many guns.”  

Other valley residents and visitors echoed similar concerns about the nation's political chasm.  

“I didn’t serve this country for someone to get assassinated,” said John Sturgeon, a Vietnam veteran from Texas who is staying with his brother in Kalispell. “We tend to forget that we’re Americans, not just individuals.”  

MONTANA'S congressional delegation expressed a similar sentiment. 

“This is a very unusual time in our country,” said Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, who is up for reelection this year.   

“There are races out there that will tip the balance of power ... given the background of the rhetoric, Americans against Americans, I think we just need to take a big deep breath and just cool down."  

His Democratic opponent, Missoula attorney Monica Tranel, took to social media immediately after the shooting to condemn political violence. 

"The American government is one where all agree on the rules, and violence has no place in our democracy," she posted on X. "We make our voices heard at the ballot box. Freedom to assemble and freedom from fear are foundational to making our voices heard." 

In a call with the Inter Lake last week, she further expressed frustration with a lack of discourse between candidates.  

“There’s this call to violence or arms which is really not the way we should be proceeding,” Tranel said.   

Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale, who is not seeking re-election, was the subject of a death threat earlier this year, which he said aided in the decision to end his campaign. 

“There is absolutely no place in a civil society for violence in politics, and this should have never happened," Rosendale said about the rally shooting. "I hope a complete investigation is conducted to make sure it never happens again. We must continue to pray for President Trump and take our country back!” 

Sen. Jon Tester, a third-term Democrat, stated that he was “appalled” after the assassination attempt. Following the shooting, Tester wrote a letter to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs demanding an investigation. 

“Senator Tester condemns all forms of political violence and is appalled by the recent attack on former President Trump,” said Eli Cousins, a spokesperson for Tester, in an email. 

At the state level, Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte stressed the importance of unity in the aftermath of the shooting.  

“This was terrifying to everyone that witnessed it. We should be able to resolve our differences in this country through discussion, not violence,” Gianforte said.  

Likewise, Kalispell resident Ryan Busse, a Democrat running to unseat Gianforte, criticized the radicalization of American politics. He encouraged citizens to call out anyone who leans into extremism.  

“When the results of radicalization start to rear their head, it’s not like people plan,” Busse said. “When it goes south, it doesn’t happen in this well-planned way ... this is why this is all so dangerous.”  

Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.