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Archive for May, 2014

NRA-PVF Endorses Cantor, Wittman in June 10th Primary

Posted in gun rights, Politics, tagged , , , , on May 30, 2014| 1 Comment »

The NRA Political Victory Fund (PVF) has posted the endorsements for the June 10th primaries in Virginia and has endorsed House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in the 7th Congressional District and Congressman Rob Wittman in the 1st Congressional District for the June 10th Republican Primary.  Cantor received the NRA-PVF highest rating of “A+” and Wittman received an “A” rating.  Cantor’s opponent, Dave Brat, had a “?” by his name, indicating that Brat apparently did not return his NRA candidate questionaire.    It is unknown why Brat would not have returned his questionnaire given he is running as the Tea Party supported candidate.  Wittman’s opponent Anthony Riedel received a rating of “AQ” indicating a pro-gun candidate whose rating is based solely on the candidate’s responses to the NRA-PVF Candidate Questionnaire and who does not have a voting record on Second Amendment issues.

In the 8th Congressional District Democrat Primary, gun owners have no choice from which to choose.  All of the  candidates either received a ? or an “F”.  One of the “?” candidates however is former Lt. Governor Don Beyer.  He was no friend to gun owners as Lt. Governor and when he was a candidate for Governor in 1997, was the darling of the gun ban crowd.

The NRA has what is commonly referred to as an “incumbant friendly” endorsement policy:

NRA has an incumbent-friendly policy that dictates our support for pro-gun incumbents seeking reelection. It is important that we stand with our friends who stand with us in Congress or the state legislature through their actions. Of course, should a pro-gun challenger win his election, and stay true to support for our gun rights, then he will be the beneficiary of this policy when seeking re-election.

Our endorsement is not given lightly; it is something that is reserved for those candidates who meet certain criteria and something that must be earned.

Virginia gun owners in the 7th District have a true friend in Congressman Cantor.  While a member of both the House of Delegates in the General Assembly and the House of Representatives in Congress, Cantor has a voting record supporting our 2nd Amendment freedom.   In the 1st Congressional District, Wittman likewise has a voting record supporting our rights going back to his days in the General Assembly’s House of Delegates.

Please note the NRA is a single issue organization and is only concerned with the issue of our 2nd Amendment Rights.  In the 7th Congressional District, the intra-party contest between Cantor and Brat has come down to who is the most conservative.  Brat’s supporters believe Cantor has abandoned his conservative principles on issues such as spending and immigration.  Cantor has tried to paint Brat as a “liberal college professor” because of his serving as one of former Governor Tim Kaine’s economic advisors.  NRA would likely tell Brat supporters upset that the organization endorsed Cantor that none of those concerns were considered in their endorsement.  Obviously NRA does not lobby on the issue of immigration or federal spending.  Their issue is the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and on that issue, Both Cantor and Wittman have been our friends.

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Has Dave Brat Changed His Stripes?

Posted in Politics, tagged , , , , , on May 27, 2014| 2 Comments »

We are just a couple weeks away from the 7th Congressional District Republican Primary and if you are like me, you can’t wait for this to end.  On the way to Lake Anna yesterday to spend Memorial Day with friends, you couldn’t miss all of the Tea Party homemade billboards along Rt. 33, some trashing Congressman Eric Cantor and some singing the praises of Randolph Macon Econ Professor and challenger Dave Brat.  Cantor’s campaign has painted Brat as a “liberal professor” that advised tax raising former governor and now U.S. Senator Tim Kaine.  Brat and his supporters (some of whom have been strong supporters of Cantor in the past) have cried foul.  There may be some hyperbole in that claim but Brian Kirwin has a post over at Bearing Drift that indicates the label “liberal college professor” may be on target, or at least may have been about nine years ago.

Now, Brat would not be the first person to change his views over time. But, his writings from 2005 does make one wonder just how thoroughly the Tea Party folks vetted their challenger or if it was simply “anybody but Cantor.”  And, those writings might explain why Tim Kaine chose Brat for his economic team.

Note: As of today, the NRA Political Victory Fund web site has not posted ratings for the June 10th Primary, but in 2012, Cantor earned the NRA-PVF highest rating of “A+”.  He has done nothing in the last two years that would indicate he will get a lower rating this year.

 

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They Lied

Posted in gun rights, Politics, tagged , , , , , , , , on May 21, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Not gun related but it is election related and includes Virginia Senator Mark Warner.  This morning Jim Geraghty shared the below video as part of his Morning Jolt daily newsletter.

Obamacare is unpopular even in Virginia and “Mr. Bipartisan” Mark Warner could  take hits in is poll numbers if he is hammered enough with ads like this either by outside groups or the eventual GOP opponent.  The GOP will pick its candidate at the state GOP convention in early June.

Warner looked unbeatable going into this year’s election until former RNC and VAGOP party chairman Ed Gillespie jumped in the race.  If the GOP doesn’t commit suicide at its convention in June, the election could end up being a close race.  Despite his claims of bipartisanship, Warner has voted with Obama on almost every issue.  He also voted for the Manchin/Schumer/Toomey amendment to the 2013 gun ban legislation that would have criminalized private transfers of firearms.  For 13 years Warner has tried to cultivate a pro-gun persona.  One vote in 2013 likely changed all of that.  He wasn’t endorsed in 2008 but had an “A” rating from the NRA based on the fact he signed a number of pro-gun bills as governor.  His opponent in 2008 was former Governor and NRA Board Member Jim Gilmore, who also had an “A” rating.  We’ll see what the 2014 rating will be after having voted for Manchin as well as two anti-gun Supreme Court nominees, votes that the NRA scored.

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Anti-Gun Georgia Legislator Hosting Firearm Training

Posted in gun rights, Politics, tagged , , , , , , , , on May 14, 2014| Leave a Comment »

The article is here.  Your reaction to the headline of the linked article and the text of the article might lead you to believe this is a pro-rights legislator who is offering a great service to his constituents.  You have to listen to the audio of the radio interview to find out he is the typical anti-rights legislator spewing misleading statistics like, “if you have a gun in your home you are more likely to injure yourself or a loved one than an intruder.”

Having said that, he is at least providing the opportunity for folks interested in, or who may have just purchased a firearm, to get some basic training.

 

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