GUN CONTROL WINS ACROSS THE NATION IN ELECTION 2000
http://www.handguncontrol.org/press/release.asp?Record=39
Issue Plays Pivotal Role in Big Races
(Washington, DC) From Washington State to Michigan to Florida to Missouri, voters across the country elected candidates who made gun control a central
focus of their campaigns. The results of some of the nation's most high-profile races proved that support for commonsense gun laws is not just helpful to a
candidate's success; it can be the deciding factor in a hotly contested race. An examination of several U.S. Senate, House and state races show that gun control is
a winning issue -- and, just as important, opposition to gun control can be a liability.
Victories in support of sensible gun laws included:
The defeat of 8 elected officials and the gun lobby in Handgun Control's "Dangerous Dozen 2000". This list included incumbent U.S. Senator John
Ashcroft of Missouri, incumbent U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham of Michigan, incumbent U.S. Senator Slade Gorton of Washington, U.S.
Congressman Bill McCollum in his bid for the open Senate seat in Florida, incumbent U.S. Congressman Jim Rogan of California, State Representative
Mark Baker in his bid to unseat U.S. Congressman Lane Evans of Illinois, State Representative Jon Porter in his bid for the open Congressional seat in
Nevada, and incumbent U.S. Congressman Matthew Martinez of California, who lost the Democratic primary to a supporter of gun safety. The gun
lobby was also named as part of the "Dangerous Dozen" for its opposition to two state ballot initiatives to close the gun show loophole. Both
Colorado's Amendment 22 and Oregon's Measure 5 passed overwhelmingly, despite heavy spending by the National Rifle Association and local gun
groups to defeat it.
Other U.S. Senate victories by candidates who made support for gun control a centerpiece of their campaigns included Jon Corzine in New Jersey,
Hillary Clinton in New York and Tom Carper of Delaware, all of whom were endorsed by the Handgun Control Voter Education Fund.
In Missouri, State Treasurer Bob Holden triumphed over Congressman Jim Talent in the governor's race. Holden had touted his opposition to
Missouri's Proposition B, a failed 1999 state referendum to allow people to carry hidden handguns in public, and he criticized Talent for his support of
the NRA-sponsored measure.
In California, nine out of HCI's "Dangerous Dozen" of California were defeated in their state-level races, giving a big boost to efforts to enact a
handgun safety license law in the state next year. HCI Chair Sarah Brady taped a series of phone messages for nine California state candidates that were
placed to nearly 100,000 voters in toss-up elections throughout the state. Eight of the nine candidates supported by Mrs. Brady's phone messages won
their elections.
In Colorado, two out of the "Terrible Trio," three pro-gun state legislators targeted by Handgun Control for their pro-gun records, lost their races.
Incumbent State Senator Jim Congrove lost his bid for re-election and State Rep. Penn Pfiffner lost his bid for an open State Senate seat. Both men
consistently voted with the extremist, pro-gun lobby to allow concealed guns in schools and in public. Handgun Control waged a voter education
campaign to expose their records to the people of Colorado.
In Oregon, incumbent State Senator Eileen Qutub lost her bid for re-election. When Qutub began to mislead voters about her opposition to reasonable
gun laws, Handgun Control launched a campaign to educate voters about her pro-gun record.
In Michigan, the NRA targeted incumbent U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak for defeat. In 1999, Stupak - generally a staunch supporter of the gun lobby
-- broke ranks to vote in favor of closing the gun show loophole. The ensuing rift between Stupak and the NRA moved into the national spotlight, when
the NRA's ruthless tactics against him were exposed on national television. Stupak won re-election in his strongly pro-gun district, further proving you
can stand up to the NRA and win.
In other races around the country, candidates in California, Illinois and New Jersey competed with their opponents to prove who was the stronger
supporter of gun control. Most significantly, former Governor George Allen of Virginia publicly reversed his stand on the federal assault weapons ban,
legislation that he had opposed while serving in Congress. In a dramatic about-face, Governor Allen said that he would vote to renew the assault
weapons ban when it comes up for renewal in 2004. Ironically, the National Rifle Association spent $600,000 to get Allen elected to the Senate.
A massive, unprecedented $20 million effort by the NRA to smear Al Gore in key states like Michigan and Pennsylvania was clearly thwarted. The
NRA poured a tremendous amount of resources into these two states, shamefully misrepresenting Gore's record on gun control. Employing scare
tactics of the basest kind, the gun lobby tried to convince sportsmen and women that an Al Gore presidency would result in the confiscation of all
law-abiding citizens' guns. The NRA's efforts were a stunning failure, however, as Vice President Gore carried both states.
"There is no doubt that gun control was a winning issue this year," said Joe Sudbay, political director of Handgun Control. "We spent about $5 million dollars
to educate the voters on candidates' records, to get out the vote for stronger gun laws, and to elect officials who support our views. And we made some great
advances by defeating opponents of gun safety and gaining new allies in public office. The NRA spent four times that amount and what do they have to show
for it? Fewer lawmakers who will carry their water for them in the U.S. Congress and in state legislatures around the nation. Even some of their own candidates
flip-flopped to support our positions."
"This is a whole new ball game," continued Mr. Sudbay. "Our message to lawmakers who oppose us is not only that we will defeat you, we can defeat you."
>>>>>>>>>
me thinks John Ashcroft of the "Dangerous Dozen" has a new job now...
dZ
http://www.handguncontrol.org/press/release.asp?Record=39
Issue Plays Pivotal Role in Big Races
(Washington, DC) From Washington State to Michigan to Florida to Missouri, voters across the country elected candidates who made gun control a central
focus of their campaigns. The results of some of the nation's most high-profile races proved that support for commonsense gun laws is not just helpful to a
candidate's success; it can be the deciding factor in a hotly contested race. An examination of several U.S. Senate, House and state races show that gun control is
a winning issue -- and, just as important, opposition to gun control can be a liability.
Victories in support of sensible gun laws included:
The defeat of 8 elected officials and the gun lobby in Handgun Control's "Dangerous Dozen 2000". This list included incumbent U.S. Senator John
Ashcroft of Missouri, incumbent U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham of Michigan, incumbent U.S. Senator Slade Gorton of Washington, U.S.
Congressman Bill McCollum in his bid for the open Senate seat in Florida, incumbent U.S. Congressman Jim Rogan of California, State Representative
Mark Baker in his bid to unseat U.S. Congressman Lane Evans of Illinois, State Representative Jon Porter in his bid for the open Congressional seat in
Nevada, and incumbent U.S. Congressman Matthew Martinez of California, who lost the Democratic primary to a supporter of gun safety. The gun
lobby was also named as part of the "Dangerous Dozen" for its opposition to two state ballot initiatives to close the gun show loophole. Both
Colorado's Amendment 22 and Oregon's Measure 5 passed overwhelmingly, despite heavy spending by the National Rifle Association and local gun
groups to defeat it.
Other U.S. Senate victories by candidates who made support for gun control a centerpiece of their campaigns included Jon Corzine in New Jersey,
Hillary Clinton in New York and Tom Carper of Delaware, all of whom were endorsed by the Handgun Control Voter Education Fund.
In Missouri, State Treasurer Bob Holden triumphed over Congressman Jim Talent in the governor's race. Holden had touted his opposition to
Missouri's Proposition B, a failed 1999 state referendum to allow people to carry hidden handguns in public, and he criticized Talent for his support of
the NRA-sponsored measure.
In California, nine out of HCI's "Dangerous Dozen" of California were defeated in their state-level races, giving a big boost to efforts to enact a
handgun safety license law in the state next year. HCI Chair Sarah Brady taped a series of phone messages for nine California state candidates that were
placed to nearly 100,000 voters in toss-up elections throughout the state. Eight of the nine candidates supported by Mrs. Brady's phone messages won
their elections.
In Colorado, two out of the "Terrible Trio," three pro-gun state legislators targeted by Handgun Control for their pro-gun records, lost their races.
Incumbent State Senator Jim Congrove lost his bid for re-election and State Rep. Penn Pfiffner lost his bid for an open State Senate seat. Both men
consistently voted with the extremist, pro-gun lobby to allow concealed guns in schools and in public. Handgun Control waged a voter education
campaign to expose their records to the people of Colorado.
In Oregon, incumbent State Senator Eileen Qutub lost her bid for re-election. When Qutub began to mislead voters about her opposition to reasonable
gun laws, Handgun Control launched a campaign to educate voters about her pro-gun record.
In Michigan, the NRA targeted incumbent U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak for defeat. In 1999, Stupak - generally a staunch supporter of the gun lobby
-- broke ranks to vote in favor of closing the gun show loophole. The ensuing rift between Stupak and the NRA moved into the national spotlight, when
the NRA's ruthless tactics against him were exposed on national television. Stupak won re-election in his strongly pro-gun district, further proving you
can stand up to the NRA and win.
In other races around the country, candidates in California, Illinois and New Jersey competed with their opponents to prove who was the stronger
supporter of gun control. Most significantly, former Governor George Allen of Virginia publicly reversed his stand on the federal assault weapons ban,
legislation that he had opposed while serving in Congress. In a dramatic about-face, Governor Allen said that he would vote to renew the assault
weapons ban when it comes up for renewal in 2004. Ironically, the National Rifle Association spent $600,000 to get Allen elected to the Senate.
A massive, unprecedented $20 million effort by the NRA to smear Al Gore in key states like Michigan and Pennsylvania was clearly thwarted. The
NRA poured a tremendous amount of resources into these two states, shamefully misrepresenting Gore's record on gun control. Employing scare
tactics of the basest kind, the gun lobby tried to convince sportsmen and women that an Al Gore presidency would result in the confiscation of all
law-abiding citizens' guns. The NRA's efforts were a stunning failure, however, as Vice President Gore carried both states.
"There is no doubt that gun control was a winning issue this year," said Joe Sudbay, political director of Handgun Control. "We spent about $5 million dollars
to educate the voters on candidates' records, to get out the vote for stronger gun laws, and to elect officials who support our views. And we made some great
advances by defeating opponents of gun safety and gaining new allies in public office. The NRA spent four times that amount and what do they have to show
for it? Fewer lawmakers who will carry their water for them in the U.S. Congress and in state legislatures around the nation. Even some of their own candidates
flip-flopped to support our positions."
"This is a whole new ball game," continued Mr. Sudbay. "Our message to lawmakers who oppose us is not only that we will defeat you, we can defeat you."
>>>>>>>>>
me thinks John Ashcroft of the "Dangerous Dozen" has a new job now...
dZ