How did the second amendment do last night?
Dave Kopel has a look:
The new House of Representatives will have a pro-gun majority on a normal vote. The Pelosi-Hoyer leadership will certainly not be pro-Second Amendment; but that leadership has recognized that its majority is precarious without pro-gun Democrats.
And:
U.S. Senate so far. In Virginia, a +1 as Democrat Mark Warner wins the seat vacated by the retirement of Republican Jim Warner. Elsewhere, -4 from Democratic wins in Colorado (Udall), NC (Hagen), NH (Shaheen), and NM (Udall).
November 5th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I’m gonna disagree with Kopel on the Senate. We certainly lost, but I don’t think its as bad as he says.
Mark Warner is clearly better than John Warner. Or at least he talks a better game (and as Governor, acted a better game). I know Mark, I trust him (no, take that back. I trust him to be smart enough not to go down the gun ban path. Its just not his thing . . . but he’s got strong support in the gun/hunting community here in Virginia).
On the others – Frankly, I’d call Hagan a wash. The NRA came out in strong support of Elizabeth Dole against her. I don’t get it. Dole was no friend of gun owners . . . she was a politician in the mold of her husband and Bush I who would throw us under the bus in a second if it suited her chances. Hagen, for her part, seems more agnostic on the issue – and representing North Carolina (and being from North Carolina) isn’t going to jump in on an issue her constituents hate (regardless of what Dole says, and dare I say contrary to what Dole did). I’d label Hagen at least a draw, and possibly a +1
Not sure why the Udalls are there. Maybe they are more Fudds than anything – and they do replace ardent 2nd Amendment supporters – but I can’t see either one really engaging in gun banning. I’d say they are probably a draw – or perhaps a -.5 each (though someone else can correct me if I am wrong).
November 5th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
a pro-ccw guy won in IL last night too.. a state seat, but still
November 5th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Hagan, like NC generally, is so-so on guns. Dole was better, issue by issue. Maybe not as big of a deal as I’d previously thought (I’d heard somewhere that she had spoken to MMM, but can’t seem to find a link to back it up).
November 5th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
It looks pretty certain we’re losing Sali, too.
http://www.sos.idaho.gov/ELECT/results/ENR/statewide_total.html
Just great. Sali has an A+ rating from the NRA and GOA.
Minnick has a D+ from the NRA and wouldn’t even answer the GOA’s questionairre.
Doom.
November 5th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
How the heck does a Republican lose in Idaho????????
Xrlqy – yeah, she has a couple of bad votes . . . but the idea that anyone thinks Dole is better is ludicrous. She only voted what she thought was in her best interest.
November 5th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
@countertop:
Well, it looks like that would be our fault. By “our” I mean my digs, Latah County, home to Moscow… which is home to the University of Idaho.
The Idaho sec.state has Sali losing by 4,243 votes statewide. He lost by 4,233 in Latah County.
For what it’s worth, which is not a damn thing at this point, I voted for him!
November 6th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Yeah, but that’s just the thing: in a state like NC, it’s clearly in the interest of every statewide Republican to be solidly pro-gun. Democrats, not so much (though it doesn’t necessarily hurt, either, witness Gov.-elect Perdue).