Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Decries ‘Calls To Hate’ Behind Political Violence

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), the target of a 2020 kidnapping plot, condemned the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump and decried the act as part of an “alarming, years-long trend” of violence in American politics.

“The shooting of former President Trump was a disgusting act of violence that caps off an alarming, years-long trend in our politics,” she wrote on X , formerly Twitter. “Behind all these incidents is rhetoric. We have seen calls to hate, harm, or jail political opponents. Violent conspiracies from the seediest corners of the internet have become incorporated into stump speeches.”

Whitmer, who has served as governor since 2019, was the target of a kidnapping plot just before the 2020 presidential election. The scheme was foiled by the FBI , who said those behind it hoped to embolden anti-government extremists.

In her message, Whitmer said the plan to abduct and possibly kill her was part of a growing pattern of violence toward lawmakers and those working to defend democracy. She pointed to the 2017 shooting at a Congressional Baseball Game practice, which seriously injured Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.); the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol; and the assault on then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) husband at their home.

“We have lost the plot when it comes to the way we talk to each other and about each other,” Whitmer wrote. “No matter your age, you have been impacted by this trend. This vitriol has infiltrated our lives. It’s broken relationships and marriages; friendships and families.”

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have condemned the attack and President Joe Biden urged the nation to “lower the temperature” in its politics during an address from the Oval Office on Sunday night.

Whitmer echoed those calls, saying she is concerned for Americans who were born in 2006 and will be voting for the first time this year.

“Think of what they have seen. Imagine what they must think about our politics. Is it a hopeful, inspiring arena where you can argue passionately for what you believe in?” she wrote. “No.”

“We all choose whether to jump into an argument and make it personal, bitter, or extreme,” she added. “Instead, let’s choose to move forward, together. ... Let’s show our kids that the nation they will inherit is one worthy of their love.”