OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — On the evening of the apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania, fellow republican Bill Huizenga called for cooler rhetoric on the presidential campaign trail.
"Language matters," Rep. Huizenga told FOX 17. "I hope everyone is going to measure twice and cut once on this."
The congressman declared the shooting that left at least one audience member and the suspect dead and Trump with a bloodied ear "unacceptable."
READ MORE: Trump says he was shot in ear at Pennsylvania rally; shooter killed
"In the United States, we settle our disputes at the ballot box and not through political violence," Huizenga said. "I'm hoping and praying that the temperature does come down, that we'll see President Trump out on the campaign trail again, soon."
Hours after the shooting, the Biden campaign pulled a number of political ads from television, including several on FOX 17's airwaves.
Huizenga believes rhetoric "on so many sides" needs to "calm down" and campaign content be reexamined, pointing out remarks made by Biden during a call with top Democrat donors on Monday.
There, Biden pitched himself as the best man to beat the former president, saying, "We’re done talking about the debate. It’s time to put Trump in the bull’s-eye."
"Now, I don't believe he meant that literally. I would certainly hope not. But people don't hear it that way all the time," Huizenga said.
For him, the deadly day hits especially close to home as his friends and colleagues Reps. Dan Meuser and Mike Kelly were sitting in the front row of the rally on Saturday.
"Obviously glad to see President Trump was seemingly only slightly wounded," Huizenga said. "My heart goes out to those families that are dealing with a tragic loss of life and serious injury. Frankly, we may not even know all of all of those details and who has been affected quite yet."
