For those who don't know, Jerry Kilgore is running for Governor of VA. He has been endorsed by the NRA.
The Virginia Citizens' Defense League (the state level, all volunteer Second Amendment rights organization...of which I am a member) has declined to endorse Mr. Kilgore because he has refused to respond to a 2nd Amendment survey that the VCDL has sent out to the candidates. In fact, the only candidate who HAS responded to date is the Democrat candidate, Tim Kaine.
Concerned members of the VCDL have repeatedly emailed and telephoned Mr. Kilgore's campaign and none of us have as yet received a reply as to why Mr. Kilgore has refused to participate in the survey.
When asked about this issue by members of the media, Mr. Kilgore's campaign has been activily hostile toward the VCDL even to the point of stating that the President of the VCDL, Phillip Van Cleave, "has no credibility on 2nd Amendment issues". That, I'm sure, would be something the gun control lobby in Virginia would be willing to contest, considering the enormous successes that the VCDL has realized in the last decade.
Enough history. The bottom line is that there has been much talk among the 4,000 VCDL members to either not vote at all in the Gubernatorial race, or to write in votes for Phillip Van Cleave.
I believe that Mr. Kilgore should be very worried about these developments considering how close the race has been to date, the 4,000 members of the VCDL are very active and always can be counted on to vote, if he loses that voting bloc (and at this point it seems he has lost it) he may not have the votes to win.
I would think that the press conferences tomorrow will be some effort by Mr. Kilgore and the NRA to shore up his base by reassuring Virginia gun owners that he is a supporter of the Second Amendment.
I am an NRA member as are most members of the VCDL, but our loyalties lie primarily with the organization that looks out for us and our state the most and that is the VCDL.
I won't be voting for Mr. Kilgore regardless of how much backpedaling he does now...especially not if he relies on the NRA for his support and does not even acknowledge all the work that the volunteer members of the VCDL do for the Second Amendment in Virginia.
But even if he does a complete 180 and courts the VCDL vote, how much can I trust a politician who won't even return my calls or emails when I ask him valid questions about his platform? How much can I trust a politician who will actively disrespect a major portion of his base and then, when he realizes how much impact his stupid comments have had, completely change his tune.
I'd rather have a Democrat with integrity and the decency to respond to his constituents than an arrogant Republican who thinks he can just ignore his employers because he doesn't think he needs them.
Tim Kaine has promised not to attempt to enact any gun control laws in Virginia. The Virginia General Assembly has a virtually veto proof majority on pro-gun issues. Mr. Kilgore thinks he doesn't need us. I'm afraid that he's about to find out that Virginia doesn't need or want arrogant, narcissistic politicians.
Barring some earth-shattering revelation, I'll be voting Democrat for the first time in my life come November 8th.
Sailorcurt, yeah, I read about the fiasco with not answering the VCDL questionnaire and the obnoxious statement about Mr. Van Cleave--unbelievable arrogance, but Kilgore probably figures since he's got NRA's backing, he doesn't need to worry about smaller groups. Guess he never paid attention to what happened with Jack Rollison...
Still, that's a regional issue and doesn't in my mind warrant a national announcement with multiple press conferences.
I think it's something of national consequence. If I'm wrong, you'll get crowing rights.
I'll speculate:
ReplyDeleteFor those who don't know, Jerry Kilgore is running for Governor of VA. He has been endorsed by the NRA.
The Virginia Citizens' Defense League (the state level, all volunteer Second Amendment rights organization...of which I am a member) has declined to endorse Mr. Kilgore because he has refused to respond to a 2nd Amendment survey that the VCDL has sent out to the candidates. In fact, the only candidate who HAS responded to date is the Democrat candidate, Tim Kaine.
Concerned members of the VCDL have repeatedly emailed and telephoned Mr. Kilgore's campaign and none of us have as yet received a reply as to why Mr. Kilgore has refused to participate in the survey.
When asked about this issue by members of the media, Mr. Kilgore's campaign has been activily hostile toward the VCDL even to the point of stating that the President of the VCDL, Phillip Van Cleave, "has no credibility on 2nd Amendment issues". That, I'm sure, would be something the gun control lobby in Virginia would be willing to contest, considering the enormous successes that the VCDL has realized in the last decade.
Enough history. The bottom line is that there has been much talk among the 4,000 VCDL members to either not vote at all in the Gubernatorial race, or to write in votes for Phillip Van Cleave.
I believe that Mr. Kilgore should be very worried about these developments considering how close the race has been to date, the 4,000 members of the VCDL are very active and always can be counted on to vote, if he loses that voting bloc (and at this point it seems he has lost it) he may not have the votes to win.
I would think that the press conferences tomorrow will be some effort by Mr. Kilgore and the NRA to shore up his base by reassuring Virginia gun owners that he is a supporter of the Second Amendment.
I am an NRA member as are most members of the VCDL, but our loyalties lie primarily with the organization that looks out for us and our state the most and that is the VCDL.
I won't be voting for Mr. Kilgore regardless of how much backpedaling he does now...especially not if he relies on the NRA for his support and does not even acknowledge all the work that the volunteer members of the VCDL do for the Second Amendment in Virginia.
But even if he does a complete 180 and courts the VCDL vote, how much can I trust a politician who won't even return my calls or emails when I ask him valid questions about his platform? How much can I trust a politician who will actively disrespect a major portion of his base and then, when he realizes how much impact his stupid comments have had, completely change his tune.
I'd rather have a Democrat with integrity and the decency to respond to his constituents than an arrogant Republican who thinks he can just ignore his employers because he doesn't think he needs them.
Tim Kaine has promised not to attempt to enact any gun control laws in Virginia. The Virginia General Assembly has a virtually veto proof majority on pro-gun issues. Mr. Kilgore thinks he doesn't need us. I'm afraid that he's about to find out that Virginia doesn't need or want arrogant, narcissistic politicians.
Barring some earth-shattering revelation, I'll be voting Democrat for the first time in my life come November 8th.
By the way, the VCDL web site is http://www.vcdl.org/
ReplyDeleteSailorcurt, yeah, I read about the fiasco with not answering the VCDL questionnaire and the obnoxious statement about Mr. Van Cleave--unbelievable arrogance, but Kilgore probably figures since he's got NRA's backing, he doesn't need to worry about smaller groups. Guess he never paid attention to what happened with Jack Rollison...
ReplyDeleteStill, that's a regional issue and doesn't in my mind warrant a national announcement with multiple press conferences.
I think it's something of national consequence. If I'm wrong, you'll get crowing rights.