The Republican leader of Pennsylvania’s second-most populous county said Friday the way former President Trump responded to his assassination attempt likely won him the support of critics and undecided voters alike.
Allegheny County Republican Committee chairman Sam DeMarco – whose area was rocked by news that shooter Thomas Crooks was living in their community – said that although he did not attend the Butler, Pa., rally, he shared his real-time reaction to the news.
“I was getting ready to go downtown to meet my friends and listening on the Fox stream when I heard the president had been shot, and I could tell you I was absolutely floored,” he said. “I couldn’t believe that something like that could happen; [that] there could be a lapse in security that could permit that.”
DeMarco said, however, it was Trump’s reaction, now immortalized by the iconic image of the Republican presidential nominee mouthing the word “fight” with his fist in the air, and his courage to continue on with his campaign that will live on.
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“I think President Trump, in the wake of the shooting there as he rose to his feet, with the Secret Service, men, women just hanging off of him had the thought to be able to raise his fist in the air to show the crowd that he was okay and to urge them to continue to ‘fight,’ fight for this country – I think he won votes from folks that were undecided, or may not have been supporters, from folks all across this country,” DeMarco said.
“I think he further exhibited the strength that he has when he, after just going back to [Bedminster, N.J.] for a day, continued on to the Republican [National] Convention on-schedule – and then culminated last night with a one-hour-plus speech.”
“What person – after having been shot by someone and coming so close to death – can carry on like that?”
DeMarco went on to quote UFC president Dana White’s Thursday introduction for Trump, remarking how the former president is “in the tough guy business” but that White “never met anybody tougher than Trump.”
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DeMarco said that the last several days have shown the nation that Trump is a strong, unifying figure.
“President Trump wants all of us here to be able to experience prosperity; to be able to achieve the American dream. He wants the best for all of us and for all of our families. So he’s extended his hand,” he said.
“He’s explained to folks what he wants to do. So I’m not sure how much he’s united the country to this point, but I know that he’s uniting the Republican Party because folks are behind him.”
DeMarco went on to mourn the loss of Butler County firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was killed by Crooks at the rally – as well as the two men still in the hospital, whom he said hail from his county.
David Dutch and James Copenhaver remain hospitalized, and he offered a verbal salute to Dutch’s Marine service, and noted Copenhaver has long been a “great [GOP] volunteer” in nearby Moon, Pa.
“Their recovery is going to be long and arduous,” he said. “So I would ask anyone watching this, please say a prayer for their speedy recovery and for their families.”
The chairman added he and much of the community are shocked and disappointed that Crooks lived among them.
“I know that the security folks are still trying to determine what his motive was,” he said.
“I don’t know whether it was political or [whether] anyone that may be unbalanced has to have that type of motive. But I put out a press release saying that I believe that the overheated political rhetoric may very well played a role.”
As for the upcoming general election writ-large in Allegheny County – which DeMarco noted does host the Commonwealth’s heavily-blue second largest city while also hosting the largest number of Republicans of any county – the chairman said he remains optimistic.
“Allegheny County is a tough county,” said DeMarco, who as a councilman-at-large is the only Republican in countywide office.
“My job, and what I hope to see from Republicans is: Republicans, independents and moderate Democrats come out en masse to support President Trump this November to elect Dave McCormick to be the next senator from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
“And to elect congresspeople like Rob Mercuri, who’s running in the 17th Congressional District, and James Hayes running in the 12th against [Rep.] Summer Lee, [D-Pa.] a member of ‘The Squad’ – because President Trump, when he gets into office in November, is going to need a Republican Senate and a Republican Congress to be able to move forward the bills and legislation that will Make America Great Again.”
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