Based on their 100% scores from Ceasefire PA, it appears that Allyson Schwartz and Katie McGinty haven’t met a gun control proposal they didn’t like. The “lowest” scoring Democrat on the ballot Tom Wolf who agreed with the gun control group almost 80% of the time. This marks a stark change from 2010 when the “lowest” scoring Democrat was against about half of the group’s policies.
I downloaded the report and will do a more thorough post on the exact issues the gubernatorial candidates want to see become the law of the land in Pennsylvania shortly. One of the delays in getting up a post about the top of the ticket statewide races has been watching the fallout after petitions went in. There have already been changes to the primary ballot with people dropping out, so I wanted to see what the playing field really looked like. Based on the quick look of the summary, pro-gun Democrats in the central part of the state need to start raising their voices – loudly – and start voting their gun rights if they don’t want to line up to turn them in, a serious policy proposal from a suburban Democrat in this state. This isn’t a “Philly” issue anymore. The anti-gun extremism is clearly spreading in Pennsylvania.
Its troubling to see Democrats who don’t hate guns becoming rarer and rarer.
Its been demonstrated in the past that when they get their asses kicked in elections because of gun control, they distance themselves from it. That makes our objective clear: kick their asses in elections.
Unfortunately I’ve seen a lot of left-leaning gun owners trying to rationalize their vote for antis… “Well, Bush/Reagan signed Bill X!” Hopefully some of them realize that’s a retarded argument with no bearing on current politics and do the right thing in November.
I know what you mean. I can acknowledge that some Democrat-leaning gun owners may have other issues that they also want to vote on which make the decision on how to vote really tough. But, in those cases, they need to step up in a big way as an advocate for gun rights in their party. They need to become known as the “gun people” when they go to party events. When they choose to volunteer their time or donate their money, they need to say that they are choosing specific Democrats to support because of their favorable views on the Second Amendment. There are ways that Democratic gun owners can make a difference outside of the voting booth.
However, those willing to also vote their gun rights over other issues are also needed. I’ve done it before in elections, and in one case it was because the Democrat was a more solid pro-rights vote than the Republican! When I post about this strategy, I’m not doing it because it’s easier to say it than do it if you’re bucking you’re party. I’m saying it because it can be done, and I’ve done it – both the voting and becoming “the gun person” who won’t volunteer to assist party members because they aren’t pro-gun enough.
I hope liberal gun owners realize that and step up to the plate.
As you guys have pointed out many times, gun rights becoming a strict party line issue is bad news. We need pro-gun Dems. I believe we’re at a critical juncture right now as pro-gun Dems appear to be on the path from from endangered to extinct.
It’s time to sound the alarm bells. While Wolf is the “lowest scoring” Dem candidate, he is running away with the nod and I’ve already personally heard from several “sportsmen” that they would vote for him.
Yup, Wolf is going to pick up a lot of fudds in November I fear. His campaign drips the “PA good ol boy” image and I think they are getting mesmerized by it.
I hope people realize how extreme it is to have a 100% rating from Ceasefire.
We basically have two Dianne Feinsteins trying to become the Democrat candidate for governor.
Sadly I see VA happening in PA. A lot of libertarians staying home because they don’t like Corbett, and that they believe anti-gun politicians won’t bring up gun control. I also see a lot of left leaning gun owners trying to blame the Republicans for everything and trying to justify their candidates aren’t truly anti-gun.
I don’t believe that left leaning gun owners have their gun rights on their voting issues radar in anyway, shape, or form.
I don’t know how it is elsewhere in the state, but I haven’t seen a single Schwartz ad in multiple areas here in the western end. She has the “Philly liberal” tag around her neck in these parts and I think she realizes that.
McGinty is airing ads here but they’re pretty off-putting IMO (the whole selfie angle is just awkward), McCord is also buying airspace here and is apparently hinging his whole campaign on being “the only one to stand up to Corbett”. Wolf plays up his blue-collar PA guy image in practically every ad I see. I get it Tom, you drive an old Jeep around and wear jeans. And all three of them are relying heavily on the premise of making energy companies pay their fair share for school funding.
Most polls I see have Wolf running away with it, with McCord and McGinty in the same ballpark for a distant second. Corbett is airing heavily on TV and radio here. Interestingly enough I don’t see anything on guns, though it’s pretty obvious Schwartz and McGinty are rabidly anti-gun, and McCord actually mentions an AWB and universal background checks on his website. Wolf seems to be shying away from the issue but an 80% rating from Ceasefire tells me all I need to know.
I am a Gun Sense voter, and a supporter of Michael Bloomberg’s new group. I will be supporting one of the female candidates because of their 100% Cease Fire rating. We have had enough gun violence. It is a shame that our democratic male candidates don’t have a backbone.