OREGON, USA — The Republican National Convention kicked off Monday in a packed arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Among the delegates were nearly 60 people representing Oregon.
Some of those Oregon delegates said they had initially assumed the convention would be canceled following Saturday’s assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Dan Mason, the national committeeman for Oregon, told KGW Monday the delegates were grateful to be there and that there was a sense of unity.
“We’re all kind of going through this weird experience of seeing the former president who’s the nominee of our party nearly get assassinated, and its obviously a traumatic historical event,” he said.
Mason said he and some of the other Oregon delegates had safety concerns in the wake of the shooting, but they were reassured by what they saw as they headed into the convention.
“We’re 100% safe. You have to go through a lot of security measures before you can even get into the actual complex,” he explained.
Mason was among a group of delegates flying to Milwaukee when they learned of Saturday’s attack.
“The guy looked like a fricken’ avenger standing up with the flag in the background. Superhuman, unreal, wild to see and totally typical Trump,” Mason said, referencing a widely published photo of Trump holding his fist in the air with blood smeared across his face moments after the shooting.
“It is definitely not the initial mood and tone that we would have thought a week ago… It’s been a unique environment…I think the whole campaign and the political tone of the country has shifted pretty dramatically in the last 48 hours, and I think our Oregon delegation definitely reflected that,” Mason said after the first day of the convention.
Republican lawmakers back in Oregon also seemed to reference a shift in the national mood following the shooting, suggesting that the incident makes it harder to make sense of what's to come now that the election cycle has proven to be unpredictable and deadly.
“I think no matter which side of the aisle you’re on, we have to look in the mirror and show that this political rhetoric that has started and continued to go can cause people to lose their life, and it has to stop,” said Republican State Representative Jeff Helfrich.
“We really need to come together and stop blaming each side. I do have some hope for our nation because all of our elected leaders are calling for some defusing of this left versus right rhetoric,” said Republican State Representative James Hieb.
“We need to step back from the passions and actually talk about things, and unfortunately Trump is not going to have that wherewithal and I don’t think those folks around him are going to have that wherewithal, and I think they’re going to try to capitalize on that energy and now it’s going to go down a very different path,” said Republican State Representative Charlie Conrad, who has openly shared his disapproval of Trump.
Republican State Representative Boshart Davis sent KGW the following statement, which references Corey Comperatore, the victim killed by gunfire at Saturday's rally:
“In times like these, it's crucial to remember the humanity of our political opponents. Donald Trump is more than a former president; he is a husband, father, and grandfather. Corey Comperatore was a husband, father, and a firefighter. He died protecting his family. He's truly a hero. My heart aches for them and their families as they endure this senseless violence. My prayers are with them and our nation.”
Republican State Representative Bobby Levy sent KGW the following statement:
“The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump this weekend in Butler, Pennsylvania, was a deeply troubling event that highlights the dangerous levels of political division in our country. Such violence is unacceptable and must be condemned by all. It's a stark reminder that we need to come together, turn down the political heat, and foster a climate of respect and dialogue. Only by uniting can we hope to address our nation's challenges and ensure a safer, more cooperative future for all Americans.”
Mason said given Saturday’s attack, they are expecting to hear the "most memorable presidential nomination speech of all time." Trump is expected to speak on Thursday, the convention's final day.