Brooklyn Park, Minnesota (AP) – As the nation begins to grasp the assassination of conservative influencers Charlie Kirktwo candidates from Brooklyn Park, outside Minneapolis, are making door-to-door door-to-door door-to-door attempts to win a legislative seat opened by a longtime state legislator and another political attack that killed her husband.
The nasty political violence is a clear concern along the tree-lined paths of Brooklyn Park, with voters heading to the polls on Tuesday to fill in state seating vacant due to the assassination of a deadly home break-in from a neighbor. Rep. Melissa Hortman. The Democrat was first elected in 2005 and served as Minnesota House Speaker before his death in June.
Hortman, her husband and dog were murdered at a Brooklyn Park home early on June 14th.
Vancebolter, 57, Faced with the federal and state Murder charges in Hortmans’ death, as well as attempted murder and other charges in the shooting of another Democrat Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
Neighbors are afraid, candidates say
Realtor Ruth Bitner, a Republican candidate seeking Hortman’s seat, noticed early in her campaign that the neighbors who Hortman was killed seemed afraid to open the door.
“We’re in a very scary time. We need to get out of this trajectory here,” Bitner said.
Bitner said political violence – especially following Wednesday. Kirk’s murder When he spoke at an event at the University of Utah, he paused about running for public office. However, she concluded, “We can’t cope.”
“We must move forward as a nation. We must embrace a system in which we have a representative government. She said, “If we shrink in fear, there is no way to solve this problem.”
The special election takes place less than a month after two school children were killed when the shooters fired fire at the Minneapolis Catholic Church during Mass. Authorities have identified the shooter as 23-year-old Robin Westman. More fired 100 rounds from the church window. Westman is found dead from what appears to be a self-harm gunshot.
“It definitely came out, people are referring to the recent shootings, announcements, Charlie Kirk,” he said Thursday. “Just yesterday, I was an outdoor knock, a few people mentioned it.”
Lee said Hortman is a neighbor who often watches walking her beloved golden retriever, Gilbert, around Brooklyn Park. She also met with him to provide advice when he ran for city council.
“I can’t think of a better way to honor her than going to the Capitol and doing my best in my seat,” he said.
The rage and unstable leader of Kirk’s assassination, residents
Kirk’s assassination, which took place in front of hundreds of people, captured on video and widely circulated on social media, rattled the nation, particularly and drew condemnation from the entire political spectrum. Federal officials announced it Tyler Robinson He was taken into custody Thursday night, and investigators said he believed he had acted alone.
“The open forum for political dialogue and disagreement has been covered by the horrifying acts of targeted violence,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Waltz said in a post on X. “In America, we don’t solve the differences between violence and muzzle.”
Lawmaker Hoffman and his family, who were shot and wounded in June, also issued a statement denounced Kirk’s death.
“America is broken and political violence puts our lives and democracy at risk,” Hoffmans’ statement said. “The assassination of Charlie Kirk today is just the latest act our country cannot continue to accept. Leaders of both parties must not only temper their rhetoric, but also start calling extreme, aggressive and violent dialogues that promote these attacks on the Republic and freedom.”
Lee described the political situation as a “recharged atmosphere” after Kirk’s murder.
“So I want to do what I can to really defeat it,” he said. This includes supporting the ban on semi-automatic automatic weapons and large-capacity magazines.
Lee maintains the shotgun himself for home defense, he said, but the assault-style rifle “is a weapon of war that we really don’t need on our streets.”
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Beck reported from Omaha, Nebraska.
