The assassination attempt on Donald Trump scrambled campaigning, with Democratic campaigns taking down ads and pausing fundraising appeals — while Republicans, including the former president, pressed ahead after a short pause.
President Joe Biden’s campaign, along with many leading Democrats, were quick to halt digital ads and fundraising messages in the aftermath of the Saturday evening shooting that left one person dead and the nation shaken. Republicans briefly did too, but resumed more typical messaging by Sunday afternoon.
The differing responses highlighted the immense challenge of navigating a hotly contested political campaign in the aftermath of the unprecedented burst of violence.
“Whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat this is a pretty shocking event. And it happened at a very bizarre time in the weekly calendar of campaigns — on a Saturday night. I think everyone is trying to calibrate how they respond to this moment based on how the public and voters are responding to it, and I think it’s just way too early to tell,” said Jason Roe, a GOP strategist and former chair of the Michigan Republican Party.
Republicans were quick to rally around Trump, who, in fundraising appeals on Sunday, both called for “unity” and vowed he would “NEVER SURRENDER.”
The former president’s campaign had briefly slowed its steady beat of fundraising messages, but reversed course on Sunday afternoon. Several emails and text messages highlighted the now iconic photo of Trump raising his fist as he was swarmed by U.S. Secret Service agents immediately after the shooting. His campaign website also began redirecting to a fundraising page featuring that photo by Sunday evening.
The resumption of fundraising messages coincided with Trump heading to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, which is set to kick off on Monday. Trump supporters in Milwaukee also gathered to honor him, while allies including Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) planned rallies elsewhere.
Supporters are looking to show “appreciation for someone who they feel has been carrying their message, their mantle, and it almost cost him his life,” said Matthew Bartlett, a GOP strategist and former Trump administration appointee. “That’s a very powerful human emotion that when you translate into politics … is one of the most potent, politically persuasive emotions.”
In contrast to Trump’s fundraising push, the Biden campaign quickly halted digital ads running across Facebook and Instagram, according to data from the platforms, and had yet to resume them as of Sunday evening. The campaign also stopped fundraising emails and text messages. Major Democratic groups, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, also paused their fundraising messages and digital ads.
Biden is “trying to set an example, to be presidential, to handle this the way things need to be handled. He’s choosing to be president, not a presidential candidate — and that is the right thing to do right now,” said Boston-based Democratic strategist Mary Anne Marsh.
Democrats’ schedules were also scrambled: Biden delayed an official visit to Texas originally set for Monday, although he will still sit for an interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt and then head to Nevada to speak at the NAACP National Convention.
Vice President Kamala Harris was previously set to appear in Palm Beach County, Florida — not far from Trump’s famed Mar-a-Lago resort — on Tuesday to discuss abortion rights, an issue Democrats have hoped to leverage in the state and nationwide. But that trip was also postponed.
A handful of responses to the shooting seemed to cross party lines — in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, hosted a unity press conference that also featured faith leaders and a Republican member of the city council.
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