Mid-Ohio Valley political officials react to Trump shooting
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PARKERSBURG -- Chairs of the Republican and Democratic parties in Wood and Washington counties, along with a former House of Delegates member, reacted Sunday to the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump Saturday in Butler, Pa.
"It's a dark day for this country," said Roger Conley, a former West Virginia House of Delegates member and former Wood County Republican Party Chair. "Whether you are a Republican or Democrat, you should be able to express your political ideas without being in fear of your life."
Conley is organizing a rally for 7-8 p.m. tonight on the sidewalk in front of Hobby Lobby on Grand Central Avenue in Vienna in support of Trump in the wake of Saturday’s events.
One attendee was killed in the shooting and two others were injured. Conley said Americans should not want to be known for violent acts such as what happened Saturday.
"This is not the kind of thing we want to be known for," he said. "This is not a third world country at war. People all over the country and the world are looking to us."
"It was awful and it shouldn't happen in this country," Joe Derkin, Washington County Republican Party Chair said. "Politics should be about debating, not violence."
West Virginia Delegate Scot C. Heckert, R-Wood, who is also the Wood County Republican Party Executive Committee chair, echoed Derkin's sentiments, stating that "It's a sad day when we have to resort to violence."
Across the aisle, Wood County Democratic Chairman Jeff Fox called the shooting "a horrible situation.
"We do not support violence in the political process. No one should go out there and fear for their life," he said.
Fox said he wants both Trump and current president Joe Biden to present their best selves to voters.
"I want them to show and field their best team and win the championship. I want Trump to run his best campaign and I want Biden to run his best campaign," he said.
Washington County Democratic Party Chair Willa O'Neill said she was "deeply saddened and concerned" by the events at the rally. She said she strongly condemns any form of violence and urged both the community and nation to "come together to end the cycle of rhetoric and violence that continues to divide us."
She added, "Let us honor the victims of this senseless act by committing ourselves to creating a more inclusive and compassionate society. Together, we can work towards a future where such tragedies are a thing of the past."
Kristen Hainkel can be reached at khainkel@newsandsentinel.com