On Thursday, the House chamber witnessed the return of Gabby Giffords, the former U.S. Congress member from Arizona, as she marked the 15th year since an assassination attempt that dramatically altered her career and galvanized national conversations about political violence and gun legislation. Giffords appeared alongside her spouse, Senator Mark Kelly, as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries commended her tenure in Congress and her persistent advocacy for more stringent gun laws.
Her presence was met with a standing ovation from numerous members of the House, predominantly Democratic lawmakers who echoed a unified message of solidarity. Jeffries emphasized the party’s resolve, stating, "House Democrats stand with Gabby and with all Americans who say ‘enough is enough.’" He assured that should Democrats regain control of the House in the forthcoming midterms, advancing gun control legislation would be a top priority.
On January 8, 2011, Giffords was critically wounded when she was shot in the head while engaging with constituents at a grocery store in Tucson, Arizona. The attack claimed six lives and left twelve others injured. Giffords herself sustained severe injuries that limited mobility on one side of her body and impaired her speech due to aphasia.
The assailant, Jared Loughner, has not been associated with a clear motive. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, he propagated a myriad of disconnected and incoherent conspiracy theories through online platforms. Following his forced medical treatment to restore trial competency, Loughner was sentenced to life imprisonment.
The incident marked a grim precursor to escalating violence affecting American political life, which has included the 2021 Capitol riot, multiple assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump, and the fatal shooting of a Minnesota state legislator and her husband in mid-2023. Additionally, the political atmosphere was rocked recently by the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a college event speech.
Following the shooting, Giffords resigned from Congress to focus on recovery, leaving a political trajectory that many in Arizona had hoped would lead her to higher office, possibly as governor or senator. Together with Sen. Kelly, she co-founded GIFFORDS, an advocacy organization dedicated to promoting tighter gun control laws and supporting candidates aligned with these objectives at various government levels.
Senator Kelly’s political profile rose significantly when he was elected to the Senate in 2020. He was also a finalist considered for the vice presidential nomination alongside Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential campaign.