Two peas in a pod

The Poughkeepsie Journal reports on the Democrat and Republican candidates running in CD-19:

Incumbent Congressman Antonio Delgado:

“Gun violence today is an epidemic that has spread to the most sacred places in our communities – our schools, places of worship, concert halls, movie theaters, and more. As the father to two young boys, I cannot fathom the enduring pain of losing a child to senseless gun violence. As a society, we must do better. That’s why I was proud to support H.R. 8, legislation to finally achieve universal background checks, with reasonable exemptions for family transfers. Requiring background checks, banning military-style assault weapons, establishing safe-storage laws, and expanding access to mental health services are all key steps to help curb gun violence and save lives.”

Republican challenger Kyle Van De Water:

“First, I want to reaffirm my unwavering support of the Second Amendment. Not only would it be unconstitutional to address this issue by infringing upon Second Amendment rights, it would be ineffective. I would look to the Broken Windows theory and focus on addressing minor offenses, and by doing so discourage more serious offenses such as gun violence. Unlike the Brady Bill in the 90s, under which there was no measurable decrease in gun violence nationwide, New York City under Mayor Giuliani’s Broken Windows strategy saw a drastic and meaningful decrease in violent crime including those committed with firearms. The measures I would take would focus on addressing misdemeanor level crimes which affect our safety and quality of life. Such measures have proven staggeringly effective in reducing more serious and dangerous crimes including those committed with firearms, while taking guns from law abiding citizens has proven ineffective in curtailing gun violence.”

An observation from my Twitter feed: