Pittsburgh – Former President Trump could have used the assassination attempt to further divide a politically divided nation, but instead chose to unite with a show of strength and an inclusive Republican National Committee message, said a Republican House candidate running in the shooter’s home district.
James Hayes, the son of a steelworker who went on to work at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond before returning to Pittsburgh, said the local area is still reeling from both the assassination attempt and the revelation that the gunman, Thomas Crooks, lived there.
Hayes, who runs against fellow Squad member Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pennsylvania), said it was “inconceivable” that this incident would involve an area like Bethel Park.
“They’re a very conservative group of people who really love America. They’re very patriotic. And it’s just unbelievable to all of us that someone from that area would be a shooter,” Hayes said.
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Republican Rep. James Hayes is running for Congress in Pittsburgh against Squad member Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA), whose district includes the home of attempted Trump assassin Thomas Crooks. (Fox News Digital)
“I’ve spoken to people in the area and they can’t believe someone from the area could have been the shooter,” he said.
Hayes added that he did not attend the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally but traveled to Wisconsin to attend the Republican National Convention.
Hayes said Trump’s firm response when he was nearly assassinated at the convention showed why he deserves the nomination.
“I think President Trump could have chosen either path. [he] The agitators [people] I mean, he could have taken advantage of that. [incident] “He wanted to further divide us and further incite us, and he didn’t, because that’s not who he is,” Hayes said.
“He reached out to America. He said, ‘I don’t want to be the president of 50 percent of America. I want to be the president of 100 percent of America.’ And I think we should embrace that. We should embrace that as a people. We want to be Americans.”
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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
“We want to come together as Americans. That’s what I want. That’s what I want for our community. So I’m really excited that something really good might come out of this tragedy.”
Hayes said he remains optimistic about his tough campaign in one of the state’s most Democratic districts, adding that he believes it best aligns with the values of the Pittsburgh region.
“We support our police. We support the energy industry. We want parents involved in our schools. We fully embrace immigration. My wife is a Mexican immigrant, and we believe immigration is legal and we want people who respect our laws,” he said.
He said he also hopes to capture the Democratic vote in Pittsburgh’s heavily Democratic Shadyside neighborhood, northeast of downtown.
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Pittsburgh Police Car (Pittsburgh Police Department)
He said Pittsburgh Democrats aren’t truly aligned with the party’s far-left wing, but are still voters with blue-collar, working-class values that embody the “Steel City.”
“They don’t support Hamas. They’re not going to defund the police or abolish prisons. They’re not going to shut down the energy industry,” Hayes said.
“Democrats in this area support all of the values that I stand for, so I’m confident I can get the Republican vote, the Democratic vote and the independent vote, and that’s going to help me win.”
