Attacks on Minnesota lawmakers part of a growing trend of political violence

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Two Minnesota lawmakers were targeted in shootings last week that killed Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and wounded Sen. John Hoffman and his wife. The attacks show an escalation of violence against elected officials in recent years. But they’re part of a long history of political violence in the U.S.

Assassinations of political figures in the U.S., aside from presidents, are rare but not unheard of. While presidential assassinations receive the most publicity, other politicians — including governors, senators, representatives, mayors, state legislators and judges — have also been targeted, sometimes fatally.

These assassinations remain uncommon relative to the total number of individuals serving in such roles, however, the U.S. has a long history of political violence[1]. The motives for these attacks are often complex and not always purely political; a Secret Service study found that many attackers were motivated by personal grievances or a desire for notoriety, rather than ideological reasons[2].

Recent political violence

Rep. Gabby Giffords (2011): Giffords, a Democrat from Arizona, was shot in the head at a constituent event in Tucson. Six people were killed and 13 others wounded. The attack was initially considered an anomaly but is now seen as part of a rising trend[3].

It was carried out by Jared Lee Loughner, a 22-year-old with a history of erratic behavior and mental illness, specifically paranoid schizophrenia. Loughner had developed an obsession with Giffords after attending one of her public events years earlier and was fixated on conspiracy theories and personal grievances. Evidence from his home suggested he planned the attack and was particularly focused on Giffords as a target[4][5].

Loughner pleaded guilty to the attacks and was sentenced to life in prison.

While Loughner’s actions were influenced by his mental illness, experts and local observers also pointed to the toxic and polarized political climate in Arizona at the time as a contributing factor. Some analysts argued that the “vitriolic politics” and extremism in the broader environment may have helped push Loughner toward violence, even if his motivations were not strictly ideological or partisan[6][4]. Ultimately, the attack was a combination of personal obsession, mental health issues and exposure to a highly charged political atmosphere[6][4].

Rep. Steve Scalise (2017): During a practice for the annual Congressional Baseball Game in Alexandria, Va., a gunman opened fire on Republican lawmakers, wounding five people, including Scalise, the House majority whip from Louisiana. The perpetrator, James Hodgkinson, was motivated by strong political grievances[3]. He was fatally shot by police following the attack.

Hodgkinson was a fervent supporter of progressive causes and had expressed intense hostility toward Republican politicians on social media. He specifically targeted the Republican team at the baseball practice, asking beforehand whether the players were Republicans or Democrats before opening fire. The FBI later classified the shooting as an act of domestic terrorism fueled by political ideology.

Notable historical cases

Huey P. Long (Louisiana, 1935): Long, a powerful and controversial U.S. senator, was shot Sept. 8, 1935, in Baton Rouge by Dr. Carl A. Weiss. Long died two days later from his wounds. Weiss was the son-in-law of a political opponent whom Long had targeted with legislation, and the attack is widely believed to have been motivated by a combination of personal grievance and political animosity over Long’s aggressive consolidation of power and his adversarial tactics against rivals[8][9].

Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (New York, 1968): While campaigning for president June 5, 1968, in Los Angeles, Kennedy was shot, by Sirhan Sirhan. Kennedy died from his injuries the following day. Sirhan, a Palestinian immigrant, stated he was motivated by Kennedy’s support for Israel, particularly RFK’s advocacy for sending military aid to Israel, which Sirhan opposed[9].

Gov. George Wallace (Alabama, 1972): Wallace was shot and critically wounded May 15, 1972, during a campaign event in Laurel, Md., by Arthur Bremer. Wallace survived but was left paralyzed from the waist down. Bremer’s diaries and statements revealed he was motivated more by a desire for notoriety than by political ideology, though he considered targeting several prominent figures and ultimately chose Wallace due to accessibility and media attention[9][11].

Gov. John Connally (Texas, 1963): Connally was seriously wounded by gunfire during the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. Connally survived his injuries[9].

Charles C. P. Arndt (Wisconsin, 1842): Charles Arndt, a member of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature, was shot and killed by fellow legislator James Vineyard during a heated debate on the legislative floor. The attack was the result of a personal and political dispute that escalated rapidly; Vineyard drew his pistol and shot Arndt after an argument over a contested appointment. The incident reflected the intense and sometimes violent political climate of early Wisconsin territorial politics.[15]

John McPherson Pinckney (Texas, 1905): Texas state Sen. John Pinckney was assassinated along with several others during a mass shooting at a political meeting in Hempstead, Texas. The violence was rooted in the highly contentious and personal nature of Texas politics at the time, particularly around issues of law enforcement and temperance.[16]

John Potts Slough (New Mexico, 1867): Slough, chief justice of the New Mexico Territorial Supreme Court and a former state legislator, was shot and killed in Santa Fe, N.M., by William Logan Rynerson, a member of the Territorial Legislative Council. The assassination occurred after Slough, known for his fiery temper and reformist zeal, publicly insulted Rynerson amid a campaign to root out corruption and reform the territorial legal system. Rynerson, angered by Slough’s accusations and confrontational style, confronted him in a saloon and shot him after a heated exchange. Slough’s aggressive pursuit of legal reforms and his willingness to challenge entrenched interests made him many enemies, and his murder was widely seen as politically motivated, emblematic of the violent and factionalized politics of Reconstruction-era New Mexico[1 5][17].

Jose Chaves (New Mexico, 1869): Chaves, a member of the New Mexico Territorial Legislature, was assassinated in his home. The killing reflected the violent and turbulent political climate of New Mexico during the late 19th century, when personal, political and factional disputes often turned deadly. While specifics about the attacker and immediate motive are less documented, Chaves’ murder was part of a broader pattern of violence against public officials in the territory, driven by ongoing struggles for power and influence[15].

Political violence in Nevada

Nevada has had a few incidents of political threats, including a failed assassination attempt in 2016 by British national Michael Steven Sandford against then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.

The 20-year-old Sandford, who was diagnosed with mental illness, tried to grab a police officer’s gun in a plan to kill Trump during a campaign stop in Las Vegas. He was charged with disorderly conduct and with being an “illegal alien in possession of a firearm.”

Sandford’s effort was a “goofy, crazy stunt” fueled by voices he thought he was hearing, said U.S. District Judge James Mahan when sentencing him to one year and one day in prison.

Republican Bill Raggio, a prominent Nevada district attorney who later became the state’s longest-tenured state senator, serving from 1972-2011, faced significant threats due to his tough stance against organized crime. These threats were severe enough that police provided protection for his family, but no actual assassination attempts were documented[22].

New patterns and trends

Political violence targeting state officials has become more frequent and severe in recent years. Threats and attacks that were once rare are now described as “almost routine,” with both Democratic and Republican officials reporting regular death threats and security incidents[24][25][26].

Violence is no longer limited to federal officials or major national figures. State legislators, governors and their families have become targets, with incidents including shootings, arson attacks, kidnapping plots (such as against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer) and swatting or bomb threats[24][27][25].

Heightened political polarization and inflammatory rhetoric are cited as major contributors. Experts warn that condoning or downplaying violence creates a permissive environment for further attacks[28][29][25]. The number of federal prosecutions for threats against public officials has nearly doubled in the past decade, with 2023 and 2024 on pace for record highs[26].

Events that trigger spikes in violence

• Elections and election-related events: Major spikes frequently occur around election periods, especially when there are widespread allegations of fraud. After the 2020 presidential election, there was a surge in threats against election officials, with many forced to seek protection or leave their jobs[31][32][33][34].
• High-profile political violence: Violent incidents targeting prominent figures can trigger broader waves of threats. After an assassination attempt at a Trump campaign rally in Pennsylvania in July 2024, reported threats against local officials more than doubled nationwide in the following month[35].
• Legislation and policy decisions: Contentious policy debates on issues like abortion, transgender rights or pandemic-related mandates can provoke targeted threats against officials associated with those decisions[31][36][34].
• Court cases and legal proceedings: High-profile legal actions, especially those involving political figures, have been linked to increased tensions and threats against officials involved in those processes[34].

Sources

[1] https://theconversation.com/political-assassinations-are-not-just-an-american-problem-they-have-been-all-too-frequent-throughout-history-234683

[2] https://www.npr.org/2011/01/14/132909487/fame-through-assassination-a-secret-service-study

[3] https://abcnews.go.com/US/lawmaker-shootings-minnesota-disturbing-trend-analysis/story?id=122871153

[4] https://www.comingsoon.net/guides/news/1837275-who-shot-gabby-giffords-why-shooting-incident-explained

[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG-fznjhEN4

[6] https://www.hcn.org/issues/44-3/how-arizonas-culture-helped-shape-the-shooting-of-gabrielle-giffords/

[9] https://www.infoplease.com/history/us/assassinations-and-attempts-in-us-since-1865

[11] https://www.rferl.org/a/2271871.html

[15] M. M. Quaife, The Wisconsin Magazine of History, Vol. 5, No. 3 (Mar., 1922)

[16] https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Attempt_to_kill_King_Andrew.htm

[20] https://www.newsweek.com/trump-assassination-attempt-how-many-times-what-we-know-1969291

[22] https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Research/Publications/PHoN/PHoN.pdf

[24] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/14/us/politics/minnesota-political-violence.html

[25] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/14/political-violence-minnesota-fears-00406289

[27] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/the-growing-list-of-political-violence-in-the-u-s

[28] https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/the-rise-of-political-violence-in-the-united-states/

[29] https://bridgingdivides.princeton.edu/explainer-how-did-trump-administration’s-first-100-days-impact-political-violence-risk

[31] https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/the-rise-of-political-violence-in-the-united-states/

[32] https://abc7chicago.com/post/domestic-threat-forecast-predicts-risk-violence-stemming-general-election-fraud-narratives-feds-warn/15482512/

[33] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/09/public-officials-death-threats-swatting-surge/

[34] https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-politics-violence/

[35] https://bridgingdivides.princeton.edu/updates/2024/threats-and-harassment-against-local-officials-spiked-july-new-data-shows

[36] https://time.com/6227754/political-violence-us-states-midterms-2022/