Bachmann hits rivals on flip-flops

Michele Bachmann has a new website which goes after her Republican rivals for their policy flip-flips: NoSuprises2012.com.

Mitt Romney and the NRA are mentioned at 0:48 in this ad.

House vote Tuesday

The House vote on H.R.  822 is set for Tuesday the 15th.  NRA has a form on their website where people can e-mail their Congressman.

House vote on H.R. 822 soon

Media reports indicate that the House will vote on H.R. 822 sometime next week.

Carolyn McCarthy and Frank Lautenberg sent a letter to Obama urging him to veto the bill.  Why would they need to do that if, as Chuck Schumer said, the Senate will block it?  I believe reality is starting to set in for the antis and they realize they don’t have the numbers anymore to filibuster it.

Bloomberg wins and loses at the same time

As a follow up to Mayor Mike’s involvement in Virigina State Senate races, it appears that even though his chosen six candidates all won, the GOP is poised to take control of the upper house anyway.  According to the Daily News:

“… Concerned about the Democrats’ slim 22-18 margin in the Virginia Senate before Tuesday’s election, Bloomberg donated $25,000 apiece to six candidates who largely share his anti-gun views.  All six won.  But the Republicans flipped one seat in southern Virginia and appear set to take another — barring a recount … There are 10 gun bills that have passed the GOP-controlled General Assembly and now could also pass the Senate, including one that would repeal Virginia’s current mandate that a person can only buy one gun a month …”

Dave Adams writes about the political implications on the VSSA blog.

 

Election aftermath

The following NYSRPA-PVF endorsed candidates appear to have won their races:

  • 148th Assembly District, Ray Walter
  • 4th Judicial District, Ann Crowell
  • 9th Judicial District, Robert DiBella
  • Albany County Sheriff, Craig Apple
  • Columbia County District Attorney, Paul Czajka
  • Nassau County Legislature 18th District, Robert Germino won by 37 votes, defeating an antigun incumbent.
  • Putnam County Executive, MaryEllen Odell
  • Rockland County Sheriff, Louis Falco
  • Rockland County Legislature 5th District, Ed Day
  • Westchester County Legislature 1st District, John Testa
  • Westchester County Legislature 3rd District, John Nonna won by 2 votes
  • Westchester County Legislature 11th District, James Maisano
  • Westchester County Legislature 15th District, Gordon Burrows

Campaigns against members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns:

  • We clearly defeated incumbent Beacon Mayor Steven Gold.
  • We came up a little short in Poughkeepsie with incumbent John Tkazyik who is ahead by 122 votes, 51.26% over his challenger who has not conceded.
  • We came even closer in Amsterdam with incumbent Ann Thane winning by 55 votes, 50.87%.

Bonus: Erie County Executive Chris Collins, who joined the MAIG spin-off County Executives Against Illegal Guns, imploded and lost to Mark Poloncarz 47-53%.

Brown comes out against H.R. 822

Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown has come out against H.R. 822 in a letter to Mayor “Mumbles” Menino.

This isn’t a surprise.  I wasn’t expecting him to vote in favor of the bill.  His declared No vote isn’t likely to be enough to derail the bill in the Senate either.  Both the antis and their media supporters continue to ignore the ’10 elections where a bunch of their allies lost.  There should still be 60+ votes which is enough to prevent a filibuster when it comes to the floor.

Pushback on Bloomberg’s bucks

It seems that not everyone in Indianapolis is pleased with Mayor Mike getting involved with their local elections:

“… Kennedy has also chastised Ballard for his refusal (thank goodness) to join New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s anti-gun group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns.  This is a small (and growing smaller) group of liberal mayors across the United States who are trying to rescind the Second Amendment rights of citizens to own firearms and use them to protect themselves and their families from criminals.  Their agenda would take guns away from law-abiding citizens, but realistically would have no impact on criminals with guns …”

Good letter.  However, it won’t discourage Bloomberg from giving or supporters like Kennedy from taking campaign donations.  Only political action from NRA, ISRPA and VSSA targeting the recipients of Bloomberg’s bucks will do that.

On a positive note, Kennedy is down in the polls so Bloomberg’s donation is probably too little, too late.

More Bloomberg bucks

Mayor Mike is spreading some money around in Indianapolis as well as Virginia:

“Democratic mayoral candidate Melina Kennedy received a $25,000 contribution Thursday from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “I am very pleased to receive the support of Mayor Bloomberg,” said Kennedy. “Mayor Bloomberg started Mayor’s Against Illegal Guns, a bi-partisan group of mayors across the nation who are working together to get illegal guns out of the hands of criminals. I am willing to take a stance on this tough issue with a reasonable approach that 600 other mayors support as well. Mayor Ballard’s refusal to sign on with this nationwide bi-partisan group of Mayors to go after illegal guns in the hands of criminals is disappointing.”” …

If I can save just one life …

McCarthy on redistricting

Carolyn McCarthy’s latest e-mail indicates she’s worried about being redistricted out during next year’s elections:

“Redistricting could mean I will face an incredibly tough reelection race. Because New York is losing two Congressional seats, I could be pitted head-to-head against another strong incumbent. We don’t know what will happen. But when it does, we need to be ready to hit the ground running. It’s the only way I can continue to be a strong voice on the issues we care about …”

Excellent.  She’s never had a creditable opponent before.  Let her try and justify her record against another professional politician who will have no problem attacking her for being little more than a single issue incumbent.

“… While other lawmakers are running scared and staying silent on issues like the ridiculous “National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act,” I’ve already contacted every governor in the country, urging them to oppose the NRA’s brazen attempt to override important state guns laws …”

Yep, and all 50 of them have blown her off.  So much for her strong voice.