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House Republicans are coalescing around progressive “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., after she was attacked during a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday night.
“This is totally unacceptable. I am glad Rep. Omar is okay,” Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., wrote on X in response to a video of the incident.
It’s a rare show of bipartisanship in the face of political violence that has become common in recent years amid increasingly volatile rhetoric on both sides.
Support for Omar came from both conservative and moderate Republicans after a man appeared to confront her and spray a substance on her before he was quickly subdued at her public event.
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Rep. Ilhan Omar arrives for a town hall event in Minneapolis, Jan. 27, 2026. (Angelina Katsanis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Political, religious, and ideological differences never justify violence,” Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, wrote of the attack. “Those who resort to violence to make a political point should understand that such actions only undermine the very rights that form the foundation of our Republic.”
Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., noted that political violence against members of Congress had been escalating for some time.
“The assault on Congresswoman Omar is disturbing and unacceptable, and the attacker must be prosecuted and punished to the full extent of the law,” he said in his own statement. “This attack is the latest of thousands of acts and threats of violence directed against Congress over the past year, resulting in a 57% increase just since 2024.”
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Moderate Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., similarly said Wednesday morning, “I condemn the attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar that occurred yesterday.”
A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at Rep. Ilhan Omar during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis, Jan. 27, 2026. (Octavio Jones/AFP via Getty Images)
“We always have the right to free speech and to petition the government, but political violence must be dealt with sternly. The criminal here needs to spend some time behind bars,” Bacon said.
And Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., noted she “deeply disagreed” with Omar but said she was “deeply disturbed” by the attack.
“No elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are,” Mace said.
It comes in addition to a slew of Democrats condemning the incident, though several immediately sought to blame President Donald Trump and the GOP for previously criticizing the progressive Minnesota lawmaker.
“Trump’s hateful, dangerous rhetoric fuels this kind of political violence, and we must all reject it,” said Rep. Rob Menendez, D-N.J.
Rep. Pete Stauber speaks at Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar on March 6, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images)
And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., wrote on X, “It is not a coincidence that after days of President Trump and [Vice President] Vance putting Rep. Omar in their crosshairs with slanderous public attacks, she gets assaulted at her town hall.”
The attack occurred minutes after Omar’s town hall began, and despite being urged to wrap up the event, she continued until the end.
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Her office released a statement afterward, “During her town hall, an agitator tried to attack the Congresswoman by spraying an unknown substance with a syringe. Security and the Minneapolis Police Department quickly apprehended the individual. He is now in custody. The Congresswoman is okay. She continued with her town hall because she doesn’t let bullies win.”
The suspect who attacked her was arrested and charged with third-degree assault.