Gun Politics New York

Senator Greg Ball showing Senator Kathy Marchione his shotgun from yesterday’s trapshoot fundraiser at Willow Wood Gun Club.

The Buffalo News editorializes on Erie Sheriff Tim Howard’s re-election:

“… An incumbent Republican sheriff who bashed the governor’s gun control law from January through Election Day and easily won re-election … Howard, who posted an impressive 52 percent victory in his three-way contest, is adamant about what the results say.  “If Albany and the governor want to win the support of the people of Erie County, they’ve got to listen to us,” the sheriff said. “Nobody seems to measure the feeling.  And it’s not about guns; it’s about the Constitution.” …”

Some downstate media pundits were saying that the Nassau and Westchester County Executive races would be a referendum on SAFE.  Haven’t seen a follow-up similar to the Buffalo News op-ed from any of them yet.

Bloomberg-backed Terry McAuliffe won Virgina’s governorship yesterday in a close race.  Exit polls show poor turnout by gun owners despite NRA throwing $500K into the race.

No doubt Bloomberg will gloat and McAuliffe will make noise for the next four years, although I suspect in the end the two will accomplish very little in the state other than to embarrass NRA at every opportunity.  I have no sympathy for them.  NRA has never put money like that into states like New York which have serious problems.  They couldn’t even be bothered to complete the candidate ratings last year.

The results from yesterday’s deathmatch are in: Big loss for Governor Cuomo and gun control in Nassau and Westchester as both Tom Suozzi and Noam Bramson loose:

“… Mr. Suozzi conceded around 11 p.m., and told a television interviewer minutes later: “Their message was better and simpler to understand. It was about taxes, and they won.” …”

So, those 4 big flyers on gun control didn’t help?

“… The fact that Mr. Mangano, a 51-year-old lawyer with a Long Island accent, refused to distance himself from Tea Party positions on … gun control were expected by Suozzi forces to stimulate more voting by Jewish, African-American and Hispanic Democrats and independents …”

Typical biased reporting from the NY Times assumes these groups are in favor of gun control.  Where did Mangano’s 59.1% of the vote come from then?

The Times then tries to spin the issue in Westchester, even though Gnome lost:

“… Gun control was a surprisingly resonant issue in Westchester, where Mr. Bramson, 43, the Harvard-educated mayor of New Rochelle, hammered home Mr. Astorino’s resumption of gun shows at the county cultural center after a 10-year hiatus.  That struck a nerve with voters like Mady Edelstein, a retired lawyer, as she cast her ballot at the Chatsworth Avenue School in Larchmont.  “Bringing gun shows to the county center is deplorable,” she said. “You pick up the paper every day and someone mentally disturbed or sufficiently angry is picking up a gun and has the capacity to wreak havoc.” …”

Then why did he lose with 45.1% to Rob Astorino’s 54.9%?

Final poll for the Nassau County Executive’s race: Ed Mangano holds a 11 point lead over Tom Suozzi.

Final poll for the Westchester County Executive’s race:  Rob Astorino leads Noam Bramson.

All the antigun crap doesn’t appear to have helped either Suozzi or Bramson.  NRA-ILA did a last minute postcard mailing on behalf of Mangano as well.

Vote early, Vote often, Vote Tammany ….

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