The shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses last month have shaken the political world and sparked a response from leaders of both parties. Yet, even as State House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband, Mark, were laid to rest in St. Paul this week, the news cycle had already moved on to a new tragedy.

We mustn't let this story fade, and we can’t wait until the next attack. Political violence is absolutely unacceptable, and we have to do more than just condemn it; we must address it head-on now.

America has a problem, and the shootings in Minnesota are a stark reminder that divisive rhetoric framing our political opponents as enemies has real consequences.

As Minnesotans grieve and State Sen. John Hoffman (D) and his wife, Yvette, recover post-surgery, political leaders and voters in both parties must come together, denounce this violence and offer tangible solutions to lower the temperature of our national political discourse.

Our country has always had a political violence problem. However, there has been a noticeable spike in public acts of political violence over the last decade.

In 2017, a gunman shot and nearly killed Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) at a congressional baseball practice. A year later, police arrested a man after he mailed pipe bombs to high-profile Democratic officials. Just weeks before the 2020 election, the FBI intercepted a plan to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and arrested eight paramilitary extremists.

On Jan. 6, 2021, a mob of rioters stormed the Capitol to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.........

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