Gov. Shapiro, Utah Gov. Cox Tackle Political Division, Condemn Political Violence

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called for greater unity among Americans to condemn all forms of political violence during a bipartisan conversation at Washington National Cathedral last week.

The event, titled “Choosing a Better Way: Restoring Healthy Political Discourse in America,” brought together the Democratic and Republican governors for a discussion moderated by NBC News’ Savannah Guthrie.

Both governors have confronted political violence in their states, with Shapiro and his family being the victim an arson attack at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg last spring and Cox dealing with the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah.

The conversation comes as threats against public officials continue to escalate nationwide, according to reporting.

“All leaders must condemn all political violence, not cherry pick which violence to condemn and which violence to accept,” Shapiro said during the discussion. “Leaders have a responsibility to speak and act with moral clarity and call it out wherever they see it.”

Shapiro described the April attack on his family’s residence, where an arsonist broke in and fired Molotov cocktails throughout the home while wielding a metal hammer. The attacker later testified that he was there to kill the governor.

“In the immediate moments after that, I was focused only on being a good father, a good husband, and a good governor, in that order,” Shapiro said.

The governor told the audience that the attack left emotional scars on his family but that they have been strengthened by the support of Pennsylvanians and the power of prayer.

Cox revealed that just two days before the cathedral event, a man was arrested in Utah after calling the Capitol and threatening to shoot him in the head.

Cox said such incidents create an environment where people with mental illness feel compelled to act on violent impulses.

“This is where we are. It leads to a moment where Charlie Kirk loses his life in the very act of speaking,” Cox said, referring to the assassination in his state. “The most American thing we can do is an act of political speech. And whether you agreed with what he said or you hated what he said, now it’s harder for all of us to do that.”

The governors said political violence has affected people across the political spectrum.

Shapiro criticized political leaders who fail to universally condemn violence, specifically calling out President Donald Trump for his response to recent incidents.

“We have a President of the United States right now that fails that test on a daily basis,” Shapiro said. “It should not be hard to see the Minnesota speaker of the House gunned down and mourn her loss. It should not be hard to follow the beautiful eulogy of Erica Kirk with an amen instead of saying, ‘I can’t do that. I hate my enemies,’ as the President did.”

Cox acknowledged Trump’s divisive rhetoric while stating change must come from citizens themselves.

“If we think that a president of the United States or a governor is going to change where we are right now, we’re fooling ourselves,” Cox said. “Our elected officials are a reflection on us. They’re a reflection on we, the people.”

The governors also addressed the role of social media in fueling political division and violence.

Cox compared social media companies to opioid manufacturers, saying they profit from destroying children and the country through addictive algorithms designed to promote outrage.

“These are the wealthiest and most powerful companies in the history of the world. And they’re profiting off of destroying our kids and destroying our country. And they know it,” Cox said.

Utah’s governor supports banning social media for children under 16, which is similar to recent legislation in Australia.

Shapiro takes a different approach and believes in focusing on digital literacy education in Pennsylvania schools.

“I think it is important that young people learn about these tools. They are empowered to use them responsibly, while at the same time those of us in positions of authority hold these companies accountable,” he said.

The conversation highlighted how misinformation contributes to political polarization.

Cox referenced research showing that the most politically active Americans hold the least accurate views of the opposing party’s beliefs, creating what experts call a “perception gap.”

“When you put yourself in a cocoon surrounded by people who only agree with you and then talk about other people that you don’t really know, then that gap gets even wider,” Cox said. “We have to find ways to be in a room together, to look each other in the eye, to have a conversation.”

Both governors emphasized the importance of faith in addressing the nation’s divisions.

Shapiro, who is Jewish, and Cox, who is Mormon, spoke about how their different faiths share common values of service to others.

“There’s a universality in our humanity and in our faith,” Shapiro said. “There is more that binds us as Americans than divides us. The answers to so much of the darkness that we see in America today is the light that ordinary Americans bring each day, oftentimes grounded in faith and in our shared humanity.”

Cox urged Americans to see each other beyond political labels and to treat political opponents with dignity and respect.

“We desperately need you tonight to lay down your swords and to treat each other with dignity and respect again,” he said.

The event was part of the National Cathedral’s “A Better Way” initiative and NBC’s “Finding Common Ground” series, which was broadcast by NBC News.