Maine Senate President Mattie Daughtry Releases Statement on Political Attacks on Minnesota Lawmakers

AUGUSTA, MAINE – On Saturday, Maine Senate President Mattie Daughtry released the following statement on the recent political attacks on Minnesota lawmakers:

“My heart is heavy with grief. Last night, former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark, were tragically killed in what appears to be a targeted political assassination. It is impossible to put words to the sorrow and shock of such a loss — for her family, her colleagues, and forall who believe in the promise of democracy. State Senator John Hoffman, and his wife Yvette, were shot and wounded as well, and have just come out of surgery.

I met Speaker Hortman years ago. She led with resolve, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to public service. When margins were tight, she worked across the aisle to pass policies that made Minnesota families stronger and communities more resilient. She was a bridge-builder — the kind of leader we desperately need more of, not less.

 We cannot ignore the rising tide of political violence in this country. This is not normal. It is not acceptable. And it is not who we are called to be.

The work we do as public servants, especially in these divided times, must be rooted in our shared humanity. We have to listen. To reach across the aisle. To find the common threads that bind us together as neighbors, and as Americans.

As a fellow woman in elected office, and as someone who believes deeply in building coalitions across difference, I am holding Speaker Hortman’s loved ones and the people of Minnesota in my heart today.

We owe it to her memory — and to each other — to do better.”