A projected elephant, the logo of the Republican party, in a Dec. 15, 2018 file photo. (L.E. BASKOW/AFP/Getty Images)

2 Republican Candidates Assaulted in Minnesota as Democrat Staffer Suspended for Incendiary Comments

Two Republican candidates in Minnesota were assaulted following a staffer for the Minnesota Democrat Party being suspended for allegedly calling for Republican beheadings.

The assaults are the latest in a wave of violent attacks against Republicans in the last several months.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) was sent a letter that purportedly contained the poison ricin and a Vermont candidate received a letter containing rape threats toward her and death threats toward Republicans in the state.

In Minnesota, Shane Mekeland, who is running for a seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives, said he was punched while eating at a restaurant in St. George Township.

Mekeland alerted the police after he said he was blindsided by an assailant at the restaurant.

Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck said in a news release that officers are investigating the alleged assault, which Mekeland said took place on Oct. 12 between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., and that they have interviewed the suspect.

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the alleged assault of Shane Mekeland, a candidate running for a seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives. https://t.co/9YkG6niSCa pic.twitter.com/P6zIIAcPRA — Benton Co. Sheriff (@BentonMNSheriff) October 15, 2018

After getting hit, Mekeland said he fell backward and blacked out, hitting the floor.

“The last thing I heard is him say—I’ll keep out the colorful language—‘You bleepin’ people don’t give a bleep about the middle class,’” Mekeland recalled to KMSP, who he showed a medical document that confirmed he got a concussion.

State Representative Sarah Anderson of Plymouth said that after confronting a man who was kicking one of her campaign signs, he charged at her and punched her in the arm.

She said she barely escaped, hopping in her vehicle. “I put the car in reverse to just get out of there,” she said, noting that assailant identified himself as an anarchist and told her she should kill herself.

Plymouth police confirmed to KSMP that they’ve opened an investigation.

NEW: DFL says Davis will be suspended for one week without pay over his Facebook comment. https://t.co/LIbRVTX3ew — Kyle Potter (@kpottermn) October 15, 2018

Staffer Suspended

The alleged assaults came after the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party suspended a staffer for one week after the staffer posted an incendiary Facebook post.

In the post, the staffer, spokesman William Davis, said that on Nov. 7, election day, Democrats would “bring [Republicans] to the guillotine.”

Corey Day, executive director of the party, told Minnesota Public Radio that the comment was an inside joke among former co-workers but said it was still unacceptable.

“It is completely inconsistent with the standards we hold our employees to,” Day said.

“I have spoken with Will and about our social media standards and our expectation that he use appropriate judgment when commenting and posting. He regrets the post and has deleted it.”

Republicans in the state have called for Davis to be fired.

From NTD.tv