2008 Election Results: Second Amendment impact

2008 has been a unique year in the history of this political action committee. Term limits are forcing many of our friends out of the state legislature. Many races had no incumbent and were in competitive districts where either candidate had a good chance to win.

Following are links to election results in races involving our 2008 General Election Endorsements, along with analysis.

• U.S. Vice President 2008
• U.S. House 2008
• Ohio House 2008
• Ohio Senate 2008
• Ohio Supreme Court 2008
• Ohio Attorney General 2008
• Local Races 2008

Getting to know your elected officials now will help you build a relationship that will pay dividends for years to come, as you are able to take ideas to your legislator. So extend that note of congratulations and let them know you look forward to working with them!

President of the United States
Much has been said on this website about the short-comings of John McCain on the gun issue, and it is clear that his weaknesses among this voting block had an effect on this election.

53% of American voters have selected a man the NRA has described as the most anti-gun candidate in history to be our next President.

While the gun ban lobby is declaring victory, it is essential to note the lengths Obama had to go to obscure his life-long anti-gun record and secure the White House.

It is incumbent that gun owners who voted for Barack Obama hold him accountable to his campaign pledges to not infringe on our Second Amendment rights. His cabinet picks will be an early sign of his true intentions.

Ohio Congressional Delegation
Ohio is returning a strong pro-gun delegation to the United States House of Representatives, but Steve Driehaus' win over the NRA "A+" rated incumbent Steve Chabot is a disappointment.

Newly-elected Congressmen Steve Austria (R) and John Boccieri (D) will be joining a host of returning incumbents that were endorsed by Buckeye Firearms Association.

The race in Congressional District 15, featuring a pro-gun Republican, an vehemently anti-gun Democrat, as well as two third party candidates, is headed for a recount. Republican Steve Stivers leads by 149 votes, with third party candidates having won more than 23,000 votes.

Buckeye Firearms Association made recommendations in all but two Congressional districts, and 85% of BFA-endorsed candidates won their races, and another two representatives will join them from races which featured two pro-gun candidates.

Ohio Supreme Court
Ohio gun owners can rejoice in the re-election of our two friends, Justices Maureen O'Connor and Evelyn Lundberg-Stratton.

These races were incredibly important, because no matter what laws are passed in the legislature, they mean nothing without courts that uphold the law.

Ohio Senate
There were sixteen Senate seats up for re-election, and Buckeye Firearms Association endorsed in fifteen. Every single BFA endorsee won their race and will be representing gun owners next year under continued Republican leadership.

Ohio House
There are two races which are destined for a recount, but it is certain that Democrats will hold a majority (52-47 or 53-46) next year, thanks to having run so many pro-gun candidates in key districts. The House Democratic caucus' choice for Speaker will be an early sign of the party's true intentions on the Second Amendment.

In one closely-watched race for Ohio gun owners, Buckeye Firearms Association-endorsee Ross McGregor won by just 1,132 votes out of 41,518 cast. It was this race in which BFA launched a campaign in support of our endorsee in response to the blatant hypocrisy put forth in two anti-gun mailers paid for by the Ohio Democratic Party.

Buckeye Firearms Association made recommendations in all but eleven of ninety-nine House districts, and 73% of BFA-endorsed candidates won their races. Another five representatives will join them from races which featured two pro-gun candidates.

CLOSE RACES:
There is nothing to better illustrate the ever-present need for strong support of our endorsed candidates than several other Ohio House races, which like McGregor's and Stivers' Congressional race mentioned above, were decided by only one or two percentage points.

HD18: BFA-endorsee Matt Patten (D) wins by 937 votes.

HD19: BFA-endorsee Brad Lewis (R) loses by 40 votes. A Libertarian candidate took 3,109 votes. (pending recount)

HD20: BFA-endorsee Jim McGregor (R) loses by 708 votes.

HD92: Pro-gun Debbie Phillips (D) wins by 170 votes over another pro-gun candidate, Jill Thompson (D). (pending recount)