A headline from the Canadian satirical publication The Beaverton captured the political mood among Democrats after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump: “Whatever you need to do to mentally prepare yourself for a second Trump presidency, go ahead and get started.”
Historical precedent supports this fatalism. Brazilian far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro was stabbed at an event in 2018, which intensified his public support. He won the presidency a month later.
Likewise, President Ronald Reagan saw a jump in his approval numbers after being shot in 1981. He mobilized that support to pass massive tax cuts months later.
