Cordray or DeWine for governor? For Ohio gun owners, the choice is clear

Ohioans have a choice to make this November when selecting our next governor.

After a year of non-stop anti-gun rights rhetoric from the media, and little progress toward restoring our rights, pro-gun rights voters must weigh who can be trusted to be a leader in our state on Second Amendment issues.

Both Mike DeWine (R) and Richard Cordray (D) have spent time in Washington D.C. But since coming back to Ohio, one has reconnected with his Buckeye roots, and one has proven his heart is still in The Swamp.

Mike DeWine (R) has reconnected with Ohioans. He has used his time as state Attorney General to re-center and rebuild his pro-gun accomplishments through meaningful actions. Those actions include supporting expansion of licensed concealed carry reciprocity with other states, defending the Second Amendment in court, supporting efforts to make our schools more safe via armed faculty, and most recently by submitting amicus briefs in support of BFA and OFCC's lawsuit vs. the Cities of Columbus and Cincinnati in response to their latest flagrant attempt to usurp Ohio's statewide preemption of local gun control law.

If that isn't a strong enough record of doing right by law-abiding gun owners, look no further then DeWine's running mate, Secretary of State Jon Husted (R). While Speaker of the Ohio House, Husted successfly led the charge to override a veto, by a governor of his same party, in order to pass our statewide preemption law. Husted has been an ardent supporter of gun rights and a firearm enthusiast in his personal life.

When gun owners consider Richard Cordray, on the other hand, they will see that there now is a stark contrast. Cordray's time in the D.C. swamp has left permanent stains, with his position on gun control issues now firmly aligned with the greater progressive elements directing the agenda of his party. Additonally, his anti-gun running mate, Betty Sutton will certainly be joining him in the push to put an undue burden on law-abiding gun owners.

Cordray and Sutton support denying the rights of law-abiding citizens to conduct private person-to-person sales of firearms with law-abiding family and friends. They support a ban of standard-capacity magazines. They support the latest anti-gun red herring, a ban on bumpstocks or other rate-increasing devices. They support stripping military-aged adults of their Second Amendment rights until they are 21. They support Extreme Risk Protection Orders that would allow the confiscation of firearms from citizens without due process.

And there's more - another threat is lurking that few gun owners may even be aware of. Ohio's rural townships are now probing and lobbying for ways to regulate or restrict safe shooting ranges on private property. Cordray has stated that when it comes to gun control, he supports home rule, which sets the stage for challenges to our ability to responsibly target practice on private property. If our youth aren't able to grow up shooting, then the gun grabbers will have won the long game.

Whether you are a hunter, concealed handgun license-holder, competition or recreation firearms enthusiast or collector, Mike DeWine and his running mate Jon Husted are the clear choice for Ohio gun owners. Second Amendment supporters cannot afford to sit this election out. Take a friend to the range today, then take them to vote in November!