Next Tuesday is primary day for federal races and gun issues have popped up in a couple of races.<\/p>\n
In the Senate primary between Wendy Long<\/a>, George\u00a0Maragos<\/a> and Bob Turner<\/a> we have this nugget from Capitol Confidential<\/a>:<\/p>\n “… \u00a0Turner said he would oppose laws forcing states to recognize concealed weapons permits issued elsewhere \u2014 which New York officials say would render its gun control measures meaningless …”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n By “officials” he means Mayor Bloomberg<\/a>, who met with him immediately after being elected<\/a> and lobbied him to vote against H.R. 822<\/a>. \u00a0This, of course, has not stopped Turner’s campaign from having the gall to ask about getting an endorsement from us<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the CD-27 race, 2 of the 3 candidates support gun rights: incumbent\u00a0Kathy Hochul<\/a>\u00a0and GOP challenger David Bellavia<\/a>:<\/p>\n “… \u00a0[Kathy Hochul] has been preparing for a fight over guns, dating back to her days as the Erie County clerk, when she streamlined the pistol permit process … And she’s taken full advantage of the Democratic Party’s abandonment of gun control as a party issue, voting in favor of a bill that would force all states to honor permits from other states, and a bill requiring federal land be open to hunting and shooting. \u00a0“Congresswoman Hochul has always been a staunch advocate of Second Amendment rights, starting in her days as County Clerk and throughout her time in the House,” said her campaign manager, Frank Thomas, in a statement. “Rep Hochul has demonstrated that she will continue to cross party lines to ensure those rights are protected.” …”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n “…\u00a0Bloomberg has loomed over the Republican primary, as Bellavia has accused his favored opponent, former Erie county executive Chris Collins<\/a>, of being insufficiently supportive of the Second Amendment, citing Collins’ brief membership in a Bloomberg-led effort to curb the spread of illegal guns, and suggesting in campaign materials that Collins is sympathetic to the mayor’s agenda. \u00a0Collins, who was listed as a founding member of County Executives Against Illegal Guns in 2008, has subsequently said said that he made a mistake in signing on with Bloomberg’s effort, and that he got “snookered.” … “From our perception out here, [Bloomberg] is not a guy who needs to tell you a story,” Bellavia said. “He’ll look you in the eye and tell you how he feels. So I don’t see how you could say you were snookered by him.” \u00a0…”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Good points by both candidates.<\/p>\n