Jeff Neira/ABC News(NEW YORK) — Former Arizona Representative Gabby Giffords — who was gravely wounded in a mass shooting several years ago — said Republicans and Democrats need to “work together” in the wake of an attack that struck Republican members of Congress at an early morning baseball practice in Virginia.
Giffords, who was shot in 2011 at a constituent meeting in the Tucson, Arizona metropolitan area, also described her feelings after Wednesday’s shooting that left House Majority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise in critical condition.
“I’m so sad,” Giffords, 47, said in an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts that aired Thursday on Good Morning America.
Scalise and three others were shot by the alleged gunman, who had reportedly been vocal about his opposition to the Republican Party. The lawmakers and staffers at the early morning practice for an annual charity congressional baseball game were all Republicans.
Giffords’ husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, called the shooting an “attack on democracy,” comparing it to the shooting that left Giffords with brain injuries and killed six people and wounded 18.
Kelly, who with Giffords has become a vocal advocate for gun control, said his wife’s service in Congress was an example of what can be accomplished when Republicans and Democrats work together. Giffords served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2012.
“Try to understand the people on the other side,” Kelly said. “Gabby was a Democrat that served in a Republican district. She knows a lot about moderation and work across party lines.”
Giffords tweeted her support in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, during which the gunman was killed by police.
My heart is with my former colleagues, their families & staff, and the US Capitol Police- public servants and heroes today and every day.
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) June 14, 2017
May we all come together with prayers for the survivors, love for their friends and family, and the courage to make this country its best. pic.twitter.com/2CIOnOh2su
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) June 14, 2017
Kelly echoed his wife’s belief that Republicans and Democrats need to “work together” to heal the political divide in the U.S.
“You know, understanding that we’re all in this together,” he said. “That we need to join together to solve our nation’s problems.”
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