New Poll Reveals Disturbing Number of Democrats Who Wanted Trump Assassinated at Rally

A new poll reveals disturbing views among some Democrats regarding the recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump. The survey, conducted by Professor Eric Kaufmann of the University of Buckingham, found that a significant portion of Democratic voters wished the attack had been successful. The shooting took place on July 13 at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A 20-year-old registered Republican, Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire, killing a rallygoer and injuring two others before being shot dead by the Secret Service. Trump suffered a minor injury when a bullet grazed his right ear.

While most Americans were relieved Trump survived, Kaufmann's research suggests not everyone felt that way. The poll indicated that about one-third of Democratic voters wished the assassination attempt had succeeded. Among progressive Democrats, that number jumped to 71%. Kaufmann attributes the results to what he calls "woke moral absolutism" of the Left. He explains, "Identity politics has moralized the outlook of the Left, painting conservatives as evil rather than wrong," as per the Daily Mail. The results align with the fact that several high-profile liberals voiced support for the assassin in the aftermath of the horrific event.

Jacqueline Marsaw, who worked for a Mississippi House Democrat, posted on Facebook that Crooks should have taken 'shooting lessons'. She was fired over the comment. Kyle Gass, part of the comedy-rock duo Tenacious D with Jack Black, said during an Australian show, "Don't miss Trump next time." His musical career has since suffered. Colorado State Representative, Steven Woodrow, lamented how the failed attack created "sympathy for the devil." He later apologized for the remark.

Kaufmann also argued that this stems from growing 'partisan asymmetry' in the country. "The Left is more prejudiced against the Right than vice versa," he claimed. His studies show liberals are more likely to discriminate against conservatives in various ways, from unfriending them on social media to refusing to date them. People who supported the idea of assassinating Trump also had other extreme views. A lot of them agreed with the statement that "White Republicans are racist," which shows what Kaufmann calls a habit of seeing political opponents as "evil instead of just wrong." This way of thinking leads to using dramatic terms like 'White supremacy,' 'fascism,' and 'danger,' according to the professor. 

After the shooting, President Joe Biden asked Americans to "lower the [political] temperature," as per the BBC. He also admitted he needed to watch his own words, acknowledging his recent comment where he said it was "time to put Trump in a bullseye," can be taken the wrong way. FBI Director, Christopher Wray, also argued to Congress that the assassination attempt happened at a time of increased threats in American politics. "I have been saying for some time now that we are living in an elevated-threat environment. Tragically, the...assassination attempt is another example, particularly heinous," Wray testified.