A Hard Choice For Ohio Gun Owners

By Chris Chumita

For what might be the first time, Ohio gun owners actually have several candidates to choose from for governor. Ken Blackwell (Republican), Ted Strickland (Democrat), and Bill Peirce (Libertarian) have made it clear that they will fight for our Second Amendment rights. The Green party candidate, Bob Fitrakis, has not made the Second Amendment an issue, and it is unclear where he stands.

Ken Blackwell is an “A” rated candidate by the NRA and you can read more about his Second Amendment views here.

Blackwell is a gun-owner, NRA member, and an active shooter. Early in the election, Blackwell was criticized over not being vocal about his strong belief in the Second Amendment. Since then, he has made Second Amendment issues a priority. He clearly knows the issue, and has sent Ohio Senate President Harris a letter urging him to move on HB 347. Blackwell does not have a pro-gun voting record, because he was never in a position to cast a pro-gun-vote. Remembering the promises of the Voinovich and Taft campaigns, that leaves some gun owners wondering if Blackwell will back up what he says after he is elected.

Blackwell’s running mate, Tom Raga, also received an “A” rating from the NRA. Raga has served in the Ohio House for several years and has a flawless pro-gun voting record. He has voted for and co-sponsored numerous important bills, is a leader for our cause and proudly talks about his second amendment stance. There is no doubt he is a friend, but the Lt. Governor position does not normally set policy.

Ted Strickland is an “A” rated candidate by the NRA. He has a proven track record of defending our rights, and not being swayed by the large anti-gun crowd in his own party. He is not an active shooter, but has a strong pro-gun voting record. Strickland is a pro-gun Democrat, and someone once told me, “A pro-gun Democrat is more valuable than a pro-gun Republican.” You can read more about Strickland here.

Unlike the other pro-Second Amendment candidates, Strickland chose Lee Fisher, a famous gun-grabber who received an “F” rating by the NRA as his running mate. This choice has struck fear in the hearts of gun owners who do not want a gun-grabber that close to the Governor’s office. He may have chosen Fisher for his stance on other issues, but many gun-owners feel betrayed.

Lee Fisher has served as an Ohio State Representative, State Senator, and as Attorney General. When he unsuccessfully ran for governor in 1998, he announced his candidacy with Sarah Brady from the Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence at his side.

Fisher is a major player in the attempt to disarm law-abiding citizens. He has served on the Board of Directors for Handgun Control Inc., which was later renamed the Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence. He is an avid supporter of gun registration, waiting periods, “assault rifle bans”, and wants to close down gun shows.” He even publicly stated “I never met a gun control bill that I didn’t like.”

If Strickland is consistent with his history, he will not let Fisher persuade him on firearms issues. However, many gun owners may not be willing to take the risk. If Strickland wins, Fisher is a “heart attack” away from the Governor’s office. Also, if Fisher is put in charge of the Department of Commerce, he can put severe restrictions on the sale and transfer of firearms. Still, some have observed that Ohio would have much better firearm laws today if Fisher were Governor – because the Republican legislature would have gladly overridden his veto of good legislation.

Bill Peirce has been shunned by the media and major parties during the campaign and was not rated by the NRA. He was not even allowed to participate in the debates. Peirce and the Libertarian Party are strong supporters of the Second Amendment. His running mate, Mark Noble, is another strong supporter of the Second Amendment and he is also a Buckeye Firearms Association volunteer. You can read more about Peirce here.

Peirce and the Libertarian Party believe in less governmental regulation of firearms than the other parties, and personal liberty is one of their major issues. In fact, they favor “Vermont” style concealed carry over the “shall issue” system that we currently have in place.

Ohio will benefit from having a viable third party running in all elections, and the Libertarian Party is the most powerful of the third parties. However, we must look at it realistically. In this election, a third party is not going to win in the governor’s race. This is not meant to demean great candidates such as Peirce and it is not saying that voting for a third party candidate is a “wasted vote.” This election is extremely important for the Libertarian Party, because they must obtain 5% of the vote in the governor’s race in order to achieve ballot status in Ohio.

This governor’s race is extremely important for gun owners. There are several major firearm and self-defense related bills that the Buckeye Firearms Association will be working to pass next session. In order to be successful, we must elect the best candidate when it comes to Second Amendment issues. All three candidates have their good and bad points when it comes down to it. It is up to you to make the most informed choice, and vote for who you believe will be the best for our Second Amendment rights.