Democrats and Republicans appear to agree that there has been an uptick in the danger posed by political violence in the country. A survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports found that 76 percent of Likely U.S. Voters believe there is a greater danger of political violence compared to past years. Of those polled, only six percent feel there is less of a danger of political violence. Sixteen percent believe the potential for violence is about the same.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 14-15. On June 14, a shooter who has been identified as a critic of President Trump and who volunteered on the presidential campaign for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), shot and severely wounded five persons at a baseball diamond in Alexandria, Virginia. House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana remains hospitalized with severe wounds, while two Capitol Police officers, a Congressional aide and a lobbyist were also wounded.

While the immediate aftermath brought about appeals for unity on the part of House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), on the day after the shooting Pelosi appeared to blamed President Trump and Republicans for creating an environment of harsh political rhetoric that supposedly contributed to the violence.