ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - A New Mexico Democratic candidate called police after he said an angry Donald Trump supporter tried to run over him and his mother in a parking lot after hurling insults and expletives at them about Hillary Clinton and Democrats.
Sergio S. Gonzalez, a candidate for county commissioner in southern New Mexico, told police a woman attempted to strike him with her car outside the Democratic Party headquarters in Roswell, New Mexico last week following an unprovoked tirade against the Democratic presidential nominee.
According to the 39-year-old retired Marine, the driver approached him, his 72-year-old mother and two others as they stood outside the headquarters. “This lady came out of nowhere and started yelling every dirty word in the book at us,” Gonzalez told The Associated Press. “She drove away then came back.”
The woman screamed that the Democrats were ruining the country and promised that Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, would fix the nation, Gonzalez said.
After Gonzalez said he tried to talk to the woman and showed her his veteran’s hat, he said the woman made a sharp right turn and nearly struck him and his mother before driving off and chanting “Trump.”
Gonzalez blamed Trump’s harsh rhetoric for inciting violence. “It starts at the top,” Gonzalez said.
Republican Party of Chaves County chairman Jason Perry told the Roswell Daily Record the woman, who has not been identified, likely isn’t among the local GOP leadership.
“We’re very sorry that Mr. Gonzalez had an incident that was from someone being unkind,” Perry said.
Todd Johnson, New Mexico state director for Trump for President, did not immediately return an email message.
Gonzalez later went to the Republican Party headquarters to report the event to party officials.
No arrests have been made.
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