BRISTOL – U.S. Senate candidate Jordan Wood condemned the assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah and urged leaders of both parties to come together in rejecting violence and standing up for democracy. 

“Charlie Kirk’s assassination is not an isolated incident – it’s part of a much deeper crisis our country faces, and it’s fundamentally why I launched this campaign for the U.S. Senate earlier this year,” Wood said. “In moments like this, we need our leaders to have courage and speak with one voice: political violence is never acceptable. In our democracy, we resolve differences through peaceful protest and free and fair elections – never through violence.”

Wood knows the reality of political violence firsthand. On January 6, he was barricaded in an office as insurrectionists stormed the Capitol. In the aftermath, he founded democracyFIRST, a cross-partisan organization dedicated to protecting democratic institutions and confronting political violence. 

Wood said the assassination underscores the stakes of the election and the urgent need for new leadership. Since day one, his campaign has focused on two priorities: ending political corruption and reforming America’s broken democracy, and delivering solutions to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. Wood’s proposals include universal childcare, single-payer healthcare, and a historic investment in affordable housing.

As part of his pledge to restore trust in government and democracy, Wood refuses contributions from corporate PACs and lobbyists, will never trade or own individual stocks, and supports banning all members of Congress from doing so, and is holding town halls in all 16counties in Maine. As Senator, his first priority is passing sweeping anti-corruption and democracy reforms – including money-in-politics reform, independent redistricting, and establishing a federal right to vote – to ensure government works for the people, not wealthy special interests.