Buckeye Firearms Association announces co-endorsement of Morgan and Yost for GOP nominee for Auditor of State

The race for auditor of state is not typically one which attracts a whole lot of attention, and certainly not in a party primary. But that can't be said for the race for the Republican nomination for auditor in 2010.

Mary Taylor is our current auditor. She has a strong pro-gun record as a legislator and served the state well as auditor, but is now running for lieutenant governor on the John Kasich ticket.

Upon the announcement that Taylor would not seek a second term, State Representative Seth Morgan announced his candidacy. Morgan, a freshmen legislator, has already developed a strong pro-gun record, introducing HB315 (Intrastate Firearms & Ammunition), and co-sponsoring HB129 (Alaska-style CCW).

At the same time Morgan was working for gun owners in the General Assembly, Dave Yost was spending his year illustrating why he is a great attorney general candidate, in particular by making Mike DeWine's abysmal record on gun rights an issue in that race.

Following Morgan's decision to run for the seat Taylor is vacating, Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine invited Yost to exit his race for attorney general against Mike DeWine and run for state auditor against Morgan.

It is frustrating that Republican voters, which were until recently looking forward the prospect of voting for pro-gun candidates in many statewide races, are now facing a situation where one race (for attorney general) is left without a strong candidate on our issue, while in the auditor's race, one staunch friend will surely lose.

Buckeye Firearms Association will not "choose between friends" in this primary race, and has issued a dual endorsement of Seth Morgan and Dave Yost.

Morgan and Yost are both "friends" in every sense of the word - not just professionally, but also personally, to multiple of our leaders.

They are very different types of people, who have different backgrounds, but both are strong defenders of your right to keep and bear arms. Both candidates are proud of their stance on Second Amendment issues and both have worked in meaningful ways out of the limelight to strengthen your rights. Our biggest regret in this race is that one of them will lose.

We are confident that either candidate will represent your firearms rights in any elected office that they hold. In keeping with our tradition in such races, we encourage pro-gun voters who cast ballots in the Republican primary to base your decision in this race on other issues that are important to you.