MILWAUKEE, Wis. – As the Republican National Convention opened Monday with a new focus on security following the attempted assassination of former President Trump, Florida Republicans spoke on how the conversations have shifted at this year’s convention.
Northeast Florida Congresswoman Kat Cammack spoke to hundreds of Republicans to welcome them to the event.
“I will tell you the tone has shifted. There is a recognition of what could have happened. How serious things could have been different but the tone has also shifted to a more serious one that people need to come together, we are really at the brink,” Cammack said.
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A similar tone was shared by Republicans like Duval County GOP Chair Dean Black who also asked for a more civil tone in the 2024 election season.
“You have the drama that you have normally leading up to any presidential race, but then, the other night when the assassination attempt happened, I was watching live on TV, my wife and I, and we were shocked. We weren’t sure at first what we were seeing, and then there was denial.” Black said. “Now, the conversations have turned a little bit.”
Trump was the target of an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally Saturday that set off panic as a bloodied Trump was surrounded by Secret Service and hurried into his vehicle.
A former fire chief attending the rally with family was killed, as was the gunman. Two other people were critically wounded.
President Joe Biden on Sunday urged Americans to reject political violence and recommit themselves to resolving their differences peacefully, saying the upcoming presidential election will be a “time of testing” in the aftermath of the attempted assassination.
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Despite calls for unity, politics were still at play during the first day of the convention.
Evan Power, the state chair of the party, quickly brought up the dismissal of the Florida lawsuit against Trump Monday morning.
“If you look right now they’re already calling the results of the dismissal of the lawsuit, they’re saying ‘it’s the end of democracy,’ So, the democrats are right back at using the same rhetoric that led to Saturday so we’re going to have to fight through that,” Power said.
Congressional committees are moving quickly to investigate the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
The House Committee on Oversight and Investigation has already scheduled a hearing for July 22 with the director of the U.S. Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, set to testify.