After an unsuccessful assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump on Saturday, Republican delegates are gathering at the Republican National Convention from July 15th to 19th to formally nominate him for president. Representative Michael Bayham of Chalmette says security at the RNC is tight.
“We’re very concerned about safety, not just for ourselves but for the president and other people [as well],” he explains.
Several Republicans have rallied behind Trump since the assassination attempt, such as Nikki Haley, who is expected to speak at the convention. Bayham says the assassination attempt has caused a lot of Republicans to reevaluate their priorities.
“I think a lot of Republicans are starting to realize that this is far beyond whether you like Donald Trump or not. [It’s about] what kind of country do we want to live in, what type of civil society do we have,” he says.
One of the biggest questions left for the Trump campaign is who will serve as Trump’s running mate. Bayham speculates that the assassination attempt may have changed Trump’s choice for vice president. He says whereas before, Trump might have chosen the most likely candidate to help him win the election, “in light of [being] a mere inch away from being mortally wounded, you have to be looking at who can be handed the keys to this country at any given time.”
Trump was not seriously hurt in the assassination attempt, but two people were taken to the hospital. 50-year-old Corey Compatore, a former fire chief, was killed while covering his wife and daughter from the gunshots. The shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by the Secret Service. A motive has not yet been determined.
