One year ago today, July 13, 2024, Donald Trump was shot at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. That was the day of Eagle Fun Days that year, and following the parade I’d gone home to change clothes and returned to hang out at our District 14 GOP booth. The youth chairs for Ada and Canyon Counties had manned the booth in the morning, while other volunteers from Eagle and other cities were covering it in the afternoon.
With things well in hand, I wandered around the fair, checking out other vendor tables before stepping inside the Eagle Public Library to rest and enjoy the air conditioning. I pulled out my phone to see what was new and saw a friend who was at the Butler rally reporting that there had been shots fired, and several people were down.
That didn’t sound good. I kept scrolling, and discovered that Trump himself was among those who had been shot. Pictures and information were slowly trickling out, and though the now-iconic “fight, fight, fight” photo was soon posted online, nobody knew how badly the once and future president had been hurt.
I walked back outside into a world that seemed surreal. Everyone was still having fun, the live band was still playing, and people were going about their day, unaware of how the world had changed. I came back to the District 14 GOP booth and talked it over with the other volunteers, and people started stopping by and asking if we’d heard the news.
As a fun little game that morning I’d made a poster asking fairgoers to vote on who they thought Trump’s vice presidential nominee was going to be. Following an assassination attempt, that choice suddenly became very serious.
It feels like history went into overdrive that day. Just a few centimeters separate where we are now from a vastly different timeline—unpredictable yet surely much worse. Thank God for His providence in giving President Trump, and America, a fighting chance.
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This week at the Chronicle…
Last Sunday, I wrote about how to carry on when people attack you, slander your name, and attempt to destroy your reputation.
On Monday, I questioned the wisdom of Elon Musk flirting with the idea of launching a third party.
Returning from a road trip, on Thursday I wrote about how Idaho can get serious about enforcing immigration laws.
On Friday, I looked at the idea of small government, and explored specific steps we can take to put that idea into practice.
I continued that theme on Saturday, examining ideas of how we can actually cut government spending without hitting rock bottom like Argentina did before electing Javier Milei.
I also published op-eds from Congressman Mike Simpson, Sen. Jim Risch, Idaho GOP chairwoman Dorothy Moon, Attorney General Raúl Labrador, and KCRCC chairman Brent Regan.
Whether we agree or disagree with our elected officials and influential political figures, I think it’s important to hear what they have to say. The Gem State Chronicle is a resource for as much information as possible to help you be more effective and engaged.
If you would like Gem State Chronicle to publish your work, please submit it to [email protected]. We are pleased to provide an outlet for a wide variety of figures in the world of Idaho politics to share their own messages.
In other news…
Idaho firebrand Lauren Walker joined Ken Walls to share her journey from the Air Force to local politics in this Twitter interview:
Jack Posobiec joined Nick Solheim of American Moment to discuss the intersection of populism and power in politics:
Michael Malice joined Will Cain to discuss the unprecedented impact that President Trump has had in his first six months in office. This video will cure any blackpilling you might feel about recent events:
Finally, the inimitable Razorfist explained in detail how Sen. Joseph McCarthy was absolutely right about Communist infiltration of our government in the 1940s:
Upcoming events…
Rep. Josh Tanner’s golf tournament, originally scheduled for June, was moved to October. Stay tuned!
Watch for news about summer fairs and other events where you can find Republican and conservative organizations.
Thank you all for your support as I continue to bring you news and analysis that empowers you to make positive change in Idaho. Make sure to subscribe, follow me on Twitter, and follow the Chronicle on Facebook, Telegram, YouTube, and Rumble. Have a great weekend!
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About Brian Almon
Brian Almon is the Editor of the Gem State Chronicle. He also serves as Chairman of the District 14 Republican Party and is a trustee of the Eagle Public Library Board. He lives with his wife and five children in Eagle.
