The Sarasota County Democrat Party just showed you exactly what they think about someone trying to kill the President of the United States.
Minutes after a gunman rushed toward a ballroom packed with thousands of people at the White House Correspondents' Dinner Saturday night, the local party posted two words on Facebook.
Here's what happened next – and why one Florida congressional candidate isn't letting them quietly delete it.
The Post They Thought You'd Never See
The Sarasota County Democrat Party's message was short.
"Well, that sucks."
Then a laughing face emoji.
The post noted the party was "feeling disappointed."
Disappointed.
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2048551469259833388?s=20
Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from Torrance, California, had just rushed toward that subterranean ballroom at the Washington Hilton – a room holding thousands of guests, including the President of the United States.
He now faces two firearm-related charges, including assaulting an officer with a deadly weapon.
The Sarasota County Democrats responded with a laughing emoji.
Sydney Gruters Didn't Let Them Walk Away From It
By Sunday morning, the post was gone.
The party had quietly deleted it – apparently hoping nobody noticed.
Sydney Gruters noticed.
Gruters is running for the CD 16 congressional seat in Southwest Florida and she went public with the post before it disappeared completely.
"People could have been killed last night," Gruters said Sunday morning.
"This was not a joke, and it should not be treated like one."
She didn't stop there.
"Southwest Florida deserves leaders who understand the weight of their words, especially in moments like this," Gruters added. "Political violence is wrong no matter who it targets. The Sarasota Democrats owe this community an apology, not a deleted post and the hope that no one noticed."
That's the move Democrats always make when they get caught – delete it, go quiet, and pray the story dies.
Gruters refused to let it die.
The Republican Party of Sarasota County backed her up, pointing directly at the left's role in producing this kind of violence.
https://twitter.com/KristiTalmadge/status/2048509819057762593?s=20
"Once again, our nation has been put through an assassination attempt against President Trump during a time of unparalleled hysteria in our nation, driven by the political left and the Democratic Party," the party's statement read.
"Calling President Trump a Nazi, fascist, authoritarian, dictator who is destroying the nation, is bound to bring out the crazies. And it has and it will."
That's the part the media won't tell you.
This Is What Years of Rhetoric Produces
This didn't happen in a vacuum.
Since Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University on September 10th, every honest American has known that left-wing rhetoric has consequences.
Democrats spent years calling Trump a fascist and a threat to democracy – language designed to convince unstable people that violence against him isn't just acceptable but necessary.
https://twitter.com/WellsJorda89710/status/2048560355153215501?s=20
And when someone acts on it, local party officials post a laughing emoji and pray you don't notice.
That's not a mistake.
That's what they actually believe.
Gruters is right to force them to own it.
Deleting a post doesn't delete what's in your heart.
Sources:
- Drew Dixon, "Sydney Gruters rips Sarasota County Democratic Party social media message following shooting near Donald Trump," Florida Politics, April 26, 2026.
- Republican Party of Sarasota County statement, April 27, 2026.
