40 year old Giffords was re-elected to her third term last November. She was a member of the Arizona House and Senate before going to Washington. Giffords was elected to Congress amid a wave of Democratic victories in the 2006 election.

The former state lawmaker won a narrow victory against a party favorite in the 2010 election.

The shooting comes amid a highly charged political environment that has seen several dangerous threats against lawmakers but nothing that reached the point of actual violence.

Giffords, a moderate Democrat, herself has drawn the ire of the right, especially for her support of the health care bill.

Her Tucson office was vandalized a few hours after the House vote to approve the health care law in March, with someone either kicking or shooting out a glass door and window.