Former US President Donald Trump was subject to a failed assassination attempt on Saturday, July 13th in Butler, Pennsylvania. However, he was not the first, and history has taught us that he most likely won’t be the last presidential candidate to suffer such an attempt on his life.
One might wonder, however, how failed assassination attempts shaped previous US elections? It is hard to narrow it down to a specific example, but it is clear that these events have had large historical significance.
Teddy Roosevelt, the first high-profile failed assassination attempt in the 20th century
After Donald Trump was attacked by a shooter, Elon Musk posted on X saying that “he (Trump) is the toughest candidate we’ve had since Roosevelt.”
This reference was presumably made because, during Roosevelt’s campaign, he was shot in the chest by a man called John Schrank in Milwaukee in 1912. Roosevelt only survived because of a glass case and a folded speech in his pocket.
Roosevelt decided to continue with the speech despite being shot. He finished it with a bullet in his chest. This was a move that proved to bolster his image as a strong determined leader. He didn’t win the election but gained country-wide respect.
Franklin D. Roosevelt survived an attempt on his life during The Great Depression
Just prior to his inauguration as president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt suffered an attempt on his life in Miami. The shooter was later discovered to be a man by the name of Giuseppe Zangara. He missed and killed Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak instead.
Despite the country being submerged in a deep economic crisis during this time, the incident generated empathy for Roosevelt. Historians and political scientists have been cautious about attributing electoral success to this event because Roosevelt was already a popular candidate.
This is especially true given that he led America during one of its most tumultuous times. He was seen as a beacon of hope by many.
George Wallace, the last high-profile failed assassination attempt
During his 1972 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, George Wallace was shot five times by Arthur Bremer in Maryland. This incident unfortunately left Wallace paralyzed.
At this time, the political landscape of the United States was quite complex. The Vietnam War was the main political issue in the country. He would also be running against Richard Nixon. It was challenging to do so in his condition.
Wallace’s campaign did attain some momentum after the attempt on his life, but he was unable to secure the nomination to proceed.
Assassination attempts have marked US history
High-profile assassinations have taken place in US history. From Abraham Lincoln to John F. Kennedy, the country has seen two of its presidents mercilessly being killed on the public stage.
This was also true of JFK’s younger brother, Robert Kennedy. He was a Democratic presidential candidate that was assassinated on June 5, 1968 following his victory in the California primary. He was shot by Sirhan Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. This had a profound impact on the 1968 election.
