Politifact: In debate, Portman told the truth about Strickland's record on gun control

In an age where "truth" is seen as relative, media-run websites which claim to examine the veracity of a candidate's statements have been used to create new versions of the "facts." But credit goes to Politifact.com for their examination of U.S. Senator Rob Portman's (R-Ohio) comments about his opponent in a recent debate.

In the debate, when a question was posed to him about the candidates’ records on gun issues, Portman said "Gov. [Ted] Strickland in this campaign bragged about his A-plus rating with the NRA," Portman said, "I’m not talking about years ago, I’m talking about this campaign. He has said he has a ‘mixed and spotty’ record on this issue and that he can be criticized for it. Those are his words, not mine. So I don’t know where he is on this issue."

Politifact set out to determine two things:

1) Did Strickland brag about his former A-plus rating in this campaign?

and

2) Did Strickland say his own record on gun rights is "mixed and spotty?"

From the article:

Strickland confirmed that he was running for Portman’s Senate seat on Feb. 25, 2015.

...

On March 10, 2015, Strickland was a guest on WOSU’s "All Sides with Ann Fisher," and took a call from a listener named Jeffrey.

Caller: "Hey there. Gov. Strickland, I know you are a big supporter of the president and when you campaigned for him in 2012 you wrote an article about his support for the Second Amendment. I was just wondering how you continue to say you support the Second Amendment when you have been lobbying for additional gun laws when you were working in D.C."

Strickland: "Well, I have not lobbied for additional gun laws and, my brother, let me put my record in front of you. As a congressman, I had an A and most of the time an A+ rating with the National Rifle Association. That has been my position, and it is my position."

Strickland had to clarify his stance on guns in a Cleveland Plain Dealer editorial board interview of Democratic primary candidates for Senate in February 2016. It was taped, and is the source of the "mixed and spotty" line.

"Has my position changed over time? It has," Strickland said. "My record is mixed and spotty and I can be criticized for that."

Thanks, Ted, but we didn't need your permission to criticize you for being a turn-coat.

Politifact's conclusion?

"We rate the statement True."

The voting still needs to be done (and early/absentee voting has begun!), but the latest opinion polls show Senator Portman with what the Columbus Dispatch calls "a nearly insurmountable lead" over Turncoat Ted.

Please vote to re-elect Rob Portman and retire Turncoat Ted.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary, BFA PAC Vice Chairman, and an NRA-certified firearms instructor. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website.

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