A Republican convention in Dallas was interrupted by a voice from the crowd calling for three prominent Democrats to be shot as Senator Ted Cruz attacked them during a speech on Thursday.
The outburst came as the Texas Republican criticised New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and Texas Senate candidate James Talarico at the Republican midterm convention in the American Airlines Centre.
Cruz said Mamdani “means it” when he talks about seizing the means of production. A member of the audience then shouted: “He should be shot.”
The same words were heard after Cruz accused Mr El-Sayed of taking his obligations to Sharia law seriously, and again when he claimed Mr Talarico wanted to dismantle capitalism.
There was no immediate indication that the individual responsible for the remarks had been identified or removed from the venue.
The remarks came as the Republican Party used the gathering to portray Democratic candidates as extremists, with Cruz describing the election as among the most consequential midterms in American history.
He argued that Democrats were increasingly aligned with communism and Islamism, and said Sharia law was incompatible with the US Constitution. Democratic leaders reject the characterisation, saying Republicans are attempting to turn political disagreements into attacks on their patriotism.
Charlie Kirk remembered at Republican convention
The hostile exchange took place during the same session in which delegates paid tribute to conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead while speaking at Utah Valley University last September.
The normally noisy arena fell silent during a five-minute remembrance, according to the Associated Press, as a video recalled Kirk’s work and his influence on the conservative movement.
Turning Point USA’s vice-president for faith, Lucas Miles, told the convention that Kirk could not be replaced, saying he had possessed “a remarkable vision and the rare ability to bring people together”.
President Donald Trump had also remembered Kirk and his wife, Erika, during his address on Wednesday. He described the killing as a “shock” and criticised people who had made excuses for it or celebrated the attack.
The Dallas gathering, held at the American Airlines Centre, is the first major Republican midterm convention of its kind. It has been organised as a rallying point for the party ahead of the November elections rather than as a formal convention conducting party business.
Trump was due to return to the stage on Thursday, alongside Vice-President JD Vance and former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. The programme also featured Republican Senate candidates including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, North Carolina’s Michael Whatley and Georgia’s Mike Collins, as well as Ohio Senator Jon Husted.
Several members of the administration were scheduled to appear, including Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Health Secretary Mehmet Oz and Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Republicans are defending narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress, while Democrats are widely expected to make gains in the House of Representatives. Control of the Senate is likely to depend on closely fought contests in states including Maine, Ohio, Michigan and Alaska.
The convention also included events marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, which will be commemorated across the United States on Friday.
