Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman spoke in a video message to legislative leaders across the country Monday, sharing a message to his colleagues to choose "governance over grievance."

Hoffman survived an assassination attempt on June 14 when a gunman dressed as police officer shot him and his wife. The accused assassin, Vance Boelter, is also charged with murdering former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. 

In his message at the National Conference of State Legislatures in Boston, Hoffman honored Hortman, calling her "the most consequential speaker in Minnesota history."

"Minnesotans will feel the positive impact she had on our state for generations, but they will also feel her loss even harder," he said.

Hoffman was shot nine times and spent three weeks in the ICU after undergoing surgery. The shooting, he said, would forever impact his family. 

"I want to speak candidly about something we all feel: the creeping erosion of public trust," Hoffman said. "Not just in institutions but in each other. In this climate we must recommit ourselves to governance over grievance. To service over self. And to action over anger."

He went on to say that "terror in the night" is no strategy for positive change. 

"But as a Minnesotan, and as an American, I do know this: We can't let the evil of the night win. And we must redouble our efforts and reclaim the reason we are all public servants. We can listen, we can extend understanding even in disagreement," he said. "We can compromise not because it's easy but because the people we serve deserve better than constant stalemate built on partisan egos."

Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy also honored Hortman, calling her "brilliant, tenatious, funny and unassuming."

"She always came ready to work. She was a partner and an ally and a formidable opponent. But her hallmark was her priority to get her work done for Minnesotans," Murphy said.