SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Elected leaders across the country continue to react to the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump. Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Nikki Budzinski told WAND News that Americans can disagree on politics, but violence should never be a part of political discourse.

Durbin explained it is time that Americans take a long look at what people are saying about one another and the impact it has on people. The Democrat said it is a miracle that Trump is alive and participating in the Republican National Convention this week.

The state's senior senator said he participated in a FBI briefing about the shooter Monday morning.

"This unremarkable situation, according to the FBI, is not disclosing anything that shows him to be extraordinary from a political perspective," Durbin said. "That may change. Maybe more information will come out. But the circumstances are that we was able, how I don't know, I asked the question over and over again, to get on a roof within firing range of the former president of the United States." 

Durbin also shared his thoughts and prayers for family and friends of the man who died while shielding his family from gunshots at the Pennsylvania rally.

"My God. Is there a greater act of heroism than to think that someone would do that," Durbin asked Monday. "He gave his life in the process. It's an indication of the greatness of just ordinary Americans who step up at the right moment to make this country what it is today."

Election 2024 Trump

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Budzinski said she is so glad that the former president is ok. She also stressed that her heart breaks to see political violence of this magnitude.

"In this country, people should be able to go to the rally and support the candidate of their choosing and leave peacefully and safely," Budzinski said. "I very much believe we need to lower the political temperature in this country. We need more civility. We need more compassion for one another."

Unfortunately, political violence has become far too common in the United States. Former Republican Congressman Rodney Davis was one of many lawmakers caught in crossfire when a gunman showed up to a practice for the congressional baseball game in 2017. Davis told KSDK that violence should never be justified because perpetrators or victims wear red or blue shirts.

"I had never been in a more horrifying, terrifying experience," Davis said. "That lasted about 10 minutes until the gunman was finally taken down. Number one, you're never going to forget what happened that day. You're always going to be part of a historical day in American history that you didn't ask for."

Durbin said Congress has the responsibility to ask hard questions about how this shooting happened. He also plans to meet with the Senate Judiciary Committee when lawmakers return to Washington DC.

"How could the official counter-sniper team have executed this man so quickly? He was within their line of sight and they were able to respond so quickly and yet not identify him in advance before he fired these rounds," Durbin said. "These are some fundamental questions which I've asked myself and I asked them [FBI]. They don't have the answers yet." 

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