Democrats shedding pro-gun mantle already?
By Ken Hanson
December 08, 2006
The vote totals from November
are not even official in all races yet and a few Ohio Democrats are
already giving gun owners reason to question their commitment to firearm
rights.
This past November, Democrats took control of statewide offices due, in
part, to finally running pro-gun candidates. In fact, the two statewide
races considered upsets, Attorney General and State Auditor, were races
in which a pro-gun/anti-gun choice was presented, and the underdog
pro-gun candidate won. Unfortunately, the veto override vote on H.B. 347
has begun to raise the question of whether Ohio's Democrats were only
pulling a Taft - talking a pro-gun game but not being there when the
votes were needed.
Heading the Democratic party in Ohio and at the top of the list of
disappointments is Chris Redfern. Chris Redfern voted for H.B. 347 when
originally considered by the House and when considered by the House on
concurrence (where there were comfortable majorities to hide within).
However, when it came down to overriding the veto of the opposing
party's Governor, his vote vanished.
Next on the list is NRA A+ rated Democrat John Boccieri, who is moving
to the Senate next session. Similar to Redfern, Boccieri voted for H.B.
347 when originally considered by the House and when considered by the
House on concurrence. Yet he abandoned gun owners and your gun rights
when it came time to override the veto of the opposing party's Governor.
What possible explanation can be acceptable to gun owners and gun
advocacy groups for voting for a bill twice, when he was one of many,
yet changing his vote when the votes needed to be counted a little
closer? Beyond the immediate cost and damage to these two
Representatives, their actions today damage the façade of Ohio's
supposedly pro-gun new Democrats.
Further joining the list of infamy on the day of infamy was Minority
Whip Steve Driehaus, who also had voted for it twice before he voted
against override. Democrat Clayton Luckie voted for concurrence before
voting against override, and Democrat Robert Otterman pulled a "Full
Kerry" by voting against original consideration, for concurrence, and
against override.
Gun groups and gun owners will be watching very closely the Senate
override votes of Senator (Attorney General-elect) Marc Dann, Senator
Robert Hagan, Senator Teresa Fedor and Senator Charlie Wilson.
Governor-elect Strickland brought into office with him a hope for a new,
reformed pro-gun Democratic party in Ohio, yet the first contested vote
opportunity showed that at least some Democrats were all talk.
Gun owners have demonstrated their importance and effectiveness on the
campaign trail, and have learned that the only way to be taken seriously
is to make sure pro-gun candidates run on both sides of the aisle in
every race.
Which brings us to Senator Goodman and Senator Stivers, Republicans who
each accepted NRA and other gun group backing this past fall and then
left gun owners at the altar with votes against H.B. 347. Don't come
back until you've redeemed yourselves. In the meantime, we'll be
recruiting and screening pro-gun candidates who will keep their word and
vote the way they said they would while on the campaign trail.