Gun Control Likely a Tall Mountain to Climb for McAuliffe

That's the assessment of this analyis piece by Skip Wood on WJLA ABC 7.  According to Wood, Terry McAuliffe's dissing hundreds of thousands of NRA members in Virginia impressed former Govenor Doug Wilder:

“He has no idea as to how impressed I was with that,” Wilder said recently over the phone before recounting a conversation he had with McAuliffe soon after the debate. “I told him, I said, ‘Terry, I don’t want you to think that it changed my view in terms of endorsement, but it strengthened it. As I said to you, I wanted a reason to have to say that this is why I’m endorsing and supporting you. I want to be able to say that to the people of Virginia.’

“And he didn’t really try to paper it over. He said what he had to say. . .To take on a powerful lobbying group like the NRA, in Virginia, is not the easiest thing to do.”

But, as Wood notes, that is not necessarily going to get gun control passed in the pro-rights dominated House of Delegates.  Pointing to the defeat of federal gun control after the Newtown school shooting, Wood noted a similar fate likely awaits McAuliffe in the General Assembly.

Things have changed since Wilder was Governor.  Just two sessions ago, the General Assembly passed and Govenror McDonnell signed a bill repealing the signature acheivement of Wilder's term in office - one gun-a-month.

Is Governor McDonnell Raising Veep Profile?

The Roanoke Times Blue Ridge Caucus blog is reporting that Governor Bob McDonnell's Policital Action Committee (PAC) is running an ad touting his accomplishments of the last 21/2 years.

It can't be because he is preparing for re-election next year because Virginia governors cannot serve more than one term without sitting out four years before running again.  There had been talk early that McDonnell could be a possible running mate for presumed GOP nominee Mitt Romney.  And, McDonnell does fit this mold of smart, ambitious, clean-cut and a little awkward, used by The Hill in describing the type of VP that Romney may select.

McDonnell Praises Perry, Stops Short of Endorsing

The Republican Party of Virginia held a fundraising luncheon today in Richmond featuring Texas Governor and Presidential Candidate Rick Perry.  The Richmond Times Dispatch covered the event.

In introducing Perry, McDonnell praised the Texan's record but stopped short of an endorsement. McDonnell reiterated his desire to see a governor in the White House. He has said he would not endorse a presidential candidate until November if at all.

Perry told the crowd that the GOP did not need a nominee who could bridge divides between Republicans and Democrats:

“We need a nominee who draws a clear and distinct contrast,” he said, adding that the difference between himself and Obama couldn’t be more clear.

Perry leads former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for the GOP Presidential Nomination in recent polls with all of the remaining candidates in single digits.

Campaign 2009 Post Mortem - Big Win for Gun Owners

Election 2009 was a huge victory for Virginia gun owners. In addition to electing VSSA endorsed Bob McDonnell to be our next Governor, Virginia voters also re-elected VSSA endorsed Lt. Governor Bill Bolling and VSSA endorsed Ken Cuccinelli as Attorney General.

While the pundits will debate the significance of this year's election and its impact on national politics, there is one thing that is clear - the big loser yesterday was the gun control crowd. All you have to do is look at the results of those who made gun control an issue in their campaign or who were solid anti-gun votes in the General Assembly.

For instance, Delegate Steve Shannon decided in the last two weeks of the campaign to run an outlandish ad against Senator Cuccinelli that tried to paint Cuccinelli's pro-rights stance as favoring the arming criminals and terrorists. This was clearly a reference to the non-existent "gun show loophole." Senator Cuccinelli's internal polling however showed that Shannon's ads backfired and actually drove up Shannon's own negatives among voters.

Of equal importance, a handful of vehemently anti-gun members of the House of Delegates were defeated yesterday - in Northern Virginia no less.

In House District 32, NRA "F" rated David Poisson was defeated by NRA "AQ" rated Thomas "Tag" Greason.

In House District 34, NRA "F" rated Margaret Vanderhye was defeated by NRA "AQ" rated Barbara Comstock.

Additional races of interest included the defeat of Delegate Danny "Dan" Bowling in House District 3. Delegate Bowling had been a reliable pro-rights vote in the House of Delegates until he pulled a "Creigh Deeds" in 2008 and voted against killing a bill that would have required background checks on private sales at gun shows. It was that vote that cost Delegate Bowling the endorsement of VSSA in 2009. Bowling was defeated by James W. "Will" Morefield who received an "AQ" rating on his NRA questionnaire.

Filling the open seat in the 55th District of retiring Frank Hargrove is John Cox. Cox was rated "AQ" by the NRA (VSSA only rates incumbents based on their voting record). This is a slight improvement as Hargrove always voted against repeal of the ban on carrying concealed in restaurants that serve alcohol.

Also an improvement is the defeat of 23rd District Shannon Valentine who will be replaced by the NRA "AQ" rated T. Scott Garrett.

In a race that will likely go to a recount, VSSA endorsed Ron Villanueva defeated decidedly anti-gun incumbent Bobby Mathieson. Villanueva's margin of victory is a mere 16 votes - showing that every vote is indeed important.

VSSA member Bill Janis cruised to victory over anti-gun James Towey. Janis was endorsed by both VSSA and NRA and is a stalwart supporter of our firearms freedom.

Another reliable vote is Delegate John O'Bannon who also fought off a spirited challenge from Tom Shields. O'Bannon was endorsed by both VSSA and NRA and is one of our true friends in the House of Delegates.

Overall, the House of Delegates should be a few votes stronger in support of our rights when it convenes next January. VSSA would like to thank all of Virginia's gun owners and sportsmen who voted yesterday and who voted Freedom First. It was truly the best election for gun owners since 1993 when George Allen was elected Governor and led to Virginia's "shall issue" concealed carry reform.

There is every reason to believe that should repeal of the "Restaurant Ban" pass the General Assembly again next year, that we will finally see the bill signed into law. VSSA will be working hard to make this a reality. We have a lot to celebrate after last night's election results. VSSA will now turn its attention to the legislative session and as we did last year, we will keep keep gun owners informed using this blog, and using out email alert list. If you are not already subscribed, please take a minute to click the link on the right side of the page and subscribe today. We won't inundate you with email, just information that will be necessary for you to protect your rights.

VA Tech Tailgate for Victory

Virginia's elections are ground zero for the enemies of freedom to try and turn the tide against our gun rights in the Commonwealth. Our opponents will be pulling out all the stops as a run-up to the 2010 elections, and all eyes will be on Virginia next Tuesday! To ensure we are prepared to meet the challenges and ensure victory on Election Day, the NRA-Political Victory Fund is hosting a tailgate on Thursday, October 29th, beginning at 12:30 p.m. in Lot 2 at Virginia Tech! Stop by for free food, election gear, and a chance to meet VSSA and NRA-PVF endorsed candidates Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling, and Ken Cuccinelli.

What: Victory Tailgate Party
Where: Virginia Tech vs. UNC Football Game, Parking Lot 2
When: Thursday, October 29 beginning at 12:30 PM

For more information contact: Seth Waugh, Virginia Grassroots Coordinator at Swaugh@nrahq.org.

Now is Not the Time for Complancency

Poll after poll is showing all three of the VSSA endorsed candidates for statewide office running well ahead of their opponents. Last night the Washington Post released results of their latest poll showing Bob McDonnell ahead of Creigh Deeds by 11 points. Survey USA has McDonnell by 17 with Independents breaking 2-1 for the leader.

The SurveyUSA poll dated Oct. 27 shows McDonnell with a 17-point lead over Democrat Creigh Deeds, 58-41.

Republican Bill Bolling is beating Democrat Jody Wagner by 14 points, 56-42, in the race for lieutenant governor. In the attorney general race, Republican Ken Cuccinelli leads Democrat Steve Shannon by 16 points, 57-41.

But this does not mean we can relax in the final week of the campaign. It is more important than ever that gun owners and sportsmen make sure they get their friends, family and fellow gun club/hunt club members to the polls on election day.

With Saturday being the first day of Muzzleloader Season for deer, if you plan to be in the woods next week, you can cast your vote absentee before election day. Because today is the last day to request an absentee ballot by mail, you should plan to vote in person absentee.

And between now and Tuesday there are opportunities to attend a rally, help out at phone banks and go door to door in targeted neighborhoods. You can find the nearest campaign office here.

Don't let the good polling numbers give a false sense of security. The only poll that counts is the one taken on election day and the only way we will win is if we all show up at the polls and vote our freedom and our sport.

Hat tip to Jim Geraghty.

Another Good NRA Ad for Bob McDonnell

For those of you who have not seen this second NRA-PVF ad for Bob McDonnell, it's a good ad that incorporates all of the things that have voters anxious this year - massive government spending, mounting debt, increased government intervention - to bring it back to the issue of the Second Amendment. It is a good ad.

Ashland Victory Rally October 30th

You are going to be seeing a lot of these posts in the next week. It cannot be stressed how important it is for gun owners to turn out at the polls on election day. We also need to attend the Victory Rallies that will take place around the Commonwealth to show our support for the VSSA and NRA endorsed candidates. For those in the Richmond Area, you can attend the Ashland Victory Rally on Friday, October 30th.

The Rally will be held at:

Homemade by Suzanne
102 North Railroad Avenue
Ashland VA.

The Rally begins at 4:00 PM. Call 804-612-9111 to get tickets to the rally. And, be sure to wear your VSSA and or NRA gear to the rally.

Anti-Rights Crowd Dump on McDonnell

With just 14 days left in this year's gubernatorial campaign, the anti-rights crowd has finally unleashed their dogs against Bob McDonnell. First it was the release of a poll by Christopher Newport University that claims a majority of Virginians want stricter gun laws. This was followed up by a press release from Virginians for Public Safety that carried this sensational headline:

Bob McDonnell Content to Let Felons, Terrorists, Buy Firearms at Gun Shows

The only thing that the group can offer to support such a preposterous claim is the one sided ABC 20/20 report from earlier this year where the brother of a victim of the Virginia Tech shootings claims to have purchased 10 firearms without a background check within an hour of arriving at a Richmond Gun Show. Just to refresh your memory should you have forgotten - Omar Samaha was able to pull off this stunt because ABC equipped him with $5000. I would still like to know if among those ten firearms he is said to have purchased were more than one handgun because if that is the case, he broke the law with the assistance of ABC. You see, Virginia's handgun rationing law applies to private sales as well as sales carried out through an FFL.



I find it interesting that these are the same folks that did not want Creigh Deeds to be the Democratic nominee and a group identifying themselves as family members of the Virginia Tech Victims even sent an email to anti-rights supporters the day before the Democratic Primary asking them not to vote for Creigh Deeds.

"The only individuals benefiting from loose gun laws in the Commonwealth are
criminals, terrorists, and other dangerous individuals," said Virginians for
Public Safety President Jim Sollo. "Bob McDonnell needs to decide what is more important to him: half a million dollars in NRA PAC money or the safety of Virginia residents."

Gun owners cannot let these tactics decide who becomes Virginia's next Governor. With just two weeks left, we need every gun owner to do something to help elect Bob McDonnell. Please volunteer some time between now and November 3rd to walk some neighborhoods, work phone banks, and most importantly, vote.


You can find the campaign office near you by clicking here.

Deeds' Left Turn

Bitter has a good post over at Snowflakes in Hell describing how Deeds' slight left turn on the issues has negatively impacted his race for governor.

Full disclosure, I voted for Creigh Deeds in 2005. So did most other voters since he only lost by about 325 votes in a statewide election with nearly 2 million voters. At that time, he not only had the NRA endorsement, but I knew he was willing to step up as a Democratic leader for sportsmen. He was running on his own record, one that a non-affiliated, Republican-leaning, little-l libertarian, could generally get behind. I realized that we may not agree on everything, but for the issues I cared about, he was slightly better than McDonnell at the time.

By the time the 2009 primary rolled around and he had run a little left. He didn’t run far left, mind you, but a little left. Deeds threw gun controllers a bone while McDonnell had strengthened his record – a feat hard to do in the position of Attorney General where you generally shy away from policy. Deeds can’t keep it straight when it comes to tax policy.

This is a much different race than 2005 and Bitter is right; it is a lot different running for the top of the ticket than for the bottom of the ticket. It appears that the Democrats should have at least asked Deeds what his plan was to get Virginia moving again before allowing him to coast to victory after the Moran/McAuliffe bloodletting took place. It also goes to show a candidate does not help himself by trying to be all things to all people. Throwing a bone to the anti-rights folks on the so-called gun show loophole only succeeded in making Deeds look like he was a calculating politician rather than a principled individual that felt strongly on an issue.

There are a little over three weeks left in the campaign but if Deeds doesn't find a message that resonates with the voters soon, the Democrats eight year hold on the Executive Mansion will come to an end.

Monday's Deeds-McDonnell Debate

Last night the candidates for Governor debated at the Richmond studio of public broadcasting studio WCVE. The topic of firearms came up and as has been the case all year, McDonnell stood with law abiding gun owners on the issue of private sales at gun shows and Deeds sided with the tragedy peddlers by tying gun shows to the Virginia Tech shooting. CQ Politics reported this exchange:

One issue on which the candidates showed common ground was firearms. Both said they believed in the right to bear arms. They parted, though, on the real-world application of that right — especially on how, if elected governor, each would frame state law to avoid a repeat of the shooting at Virginia Tech.

Deeds said that he worked to close the so-called “gun show loophole” after the 2007 slayings and would accomplish the task as governor. McDonnell said that he worked to improve the state’s mental health statutes after the shooting and is opposed to “regulating the private sale of firearms.”

McDonnell has not backed down and has shown he clearly understands that gun shows played no role in the tragic shootings in 2007. It has been said before on this site; if Deeds can be sucked in by the anti-rights crowd on with a completely emotional argument when it comes to private sales at gun shows, can we trust the same will not happen on say, the repeal of the restaurant ban or handgun rationing?

NRA Ad for Bob McDonnell

If you live in an area like Richmond this ad may not be running in your area. Thanks to YouTube, we get to see it. Cam Edwards mentioned it to me last week when I was on his program and he was right. It's a hoot.

Candidates Address Sunday Hunting

Last Thursday, both Bob McDonnell and Creigh Deeds addressed the issue of Sunday hunting. Virginia is one of only a few states that do not allow hunting in any form on Sunday.

Roanoke Times outdoor writer Mark Taylor reported in his Sunday column that while announcing formation of his sportsman group, Creigh Deeds said he is in favor of referendums that would allow localities to set their own Sunday hunting rules.

Bob McDonnell was then contacted for a response and according to Taylor, said he would support lifting the ban, but only on private land.

Sunday hunting has been a fiercely debated topic in Virginia for years. It's not just folks who believe Sunday should be a day where those who choose to should be able to go to church without having to hear gun shots outside the church window. Historically, hunters have been equally split in support and opposition to lifting the Sunday hunting ban. One of the leaders of a large sporting group in the state told me he believes the ban relieves some of the pressure on wildlife thus making the other days in the field a better experience. One proposal introduced in the General Assembly in the past would have allowed hunting after noon so as not to have any impact on church services in rural areas. It has rarely been an issue in a statewide election and bills introduced in the General Assembly never make it out of committee.

But as lifestyles have changed and people have more commitments on Saturday, whether it be work or attending the extracurricular activities of children, the option of being able to go into the field on Sunday gains more traction.

Taylor writes that the local option sought by Deeds and the private land only option supported by McDonnell may well meet the strongest opposition from delegates and senators who are in favor of allowing Sunday hunting.

For example, few serious Sunday hunting advocates would be too excited about a local option bill. Yes, if a few localities take the step and others see that the change is not a big deal, others may follow suit.

But is taking that baby step with county-by-county laws worth the certain logistical and law enforcement nightmares it would create?

The private land option, which could appease non-hunters who are concerned about sharing public recreational space with hunters, is less problematic but still far more complicated than a blanket law.

Will taking a stand supporting some form of Sunday hunting help or hurt the candidates? Given the traditional split in the sporting community it is hard to say. But with both candidates for governor supporting some form of Sunday hunting, then the emphasis of the hunting community should focus on members of the General Assembly, because if a majority of the delegates and senators do not support allowing hunters the opportunity to go afield everyday of the season, then it doesn't make much difference what the guy in the Governor's Mansion says.

McDonnell's Campaign Gets It

There are times when Second Amendment supporters cringe when a campaign staffer tries to talk about gun issues but Republican Bob McDonnell has some press folks who seem to get it when it comes to knowing the issue. Over the last couple of weeks local papers have picked up the story of the NRA endorsement of McDonnell's bid to become Virginia's next Governor. The Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) student newspaper is the latest.

Reporting what is widely believed to be the main reason Deeds lost the endorsement this year after gaining it against McDonnell during the 2005 campaign for Attorney General, the Commonwealth Times reports that Deeds efforts to close the so-called "gun show loophole" cost him the NRA endorsement.

When contacted by the paper for comment, the McDonnell staffer accurately describes what the issue is really about:

"The term 'gun-show loophole' is a misnomer," said Crystal Cameron, press secretary for the McDonnell campaign. "All registered gun dealers must run background checks for any buyers. Bob McDonnell supports background checks for all purchases with licensed Virginia gun dealers at Virginia gun shows."

"What this issue is really about is mandating government regulation of private sales of firearms," Cameron said. "Currently, the commonwealth does not regulate private sales of firearms between citizens, and Bob McDonnell does not support such an expansion into the private affairs of law abiding citizens."

If this staff member is an indication of what type of people will staff a McDonnell administration, it will be a breath of fresh air.

Deeds: "I reserve the right...to grow as a person"

The Washington Examiner ran an editorial yesterday about Democratic candidate for Governor Creigh Deeds, where they tick off a list of tactics Deeds has used to smear Republican Bob McDonnell instead of clearly staking out positions on issues of substance. Embedded in the editorial is this quote from Deeds that should give gun owners pause:

In March, when questioned about his apparent change of heart on hot-button issues like abortion, taxes and guns, Deeds told fellow Democrats that he “reserves the right to change his opinions and grow as a person”...

This brings to mind Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen who after being pro-rights as a congressman and promising the NRA he would sign a repeal of the ban on carrying concealed handguns in restaurants, vetoed the repeal earlier this year. The legislature overrode the veto.

Deeds has much the same record as a state legislator as Bredesen did before becoming Tennessee's governor. If Deeds becomes governor, would he follow the Tennessee governor in "growing as a person?" Gun owners should not take the chance.

Contact Bob McDonald's campaign today and see how you can help elect him as Virginia's next governor.

Atlanta Newspaper Columnist Dumps on Wilder

Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Cynthia Tucker believes that former Governor L. Douglas (Doug) Wilder is shortsighted in his focus on handgun rationing as a reason not to endorse fellow Democrat Creigh Deeds for Governor. Wilder wrote in his letter where he announced he would remain neutral:

The present law [in Virginia] permits anyone of sufficient age, who is not a felon, to be able to buy one gun a month; twelve a year, twenty four a year for couples, etc. Mr. Deeds thinks that’s not enough and signed a pledge to repeal that law. This action would allow the truck loads of guns to come back in exchange for drugs from those Northeastern states where gun laws are more stringent.

When it passed, one gun-a-month was supposed to stop the flow of guns to states like New York. But the anti-rights crowd complain that Virginia's gun shows are providing a steady flow of guns. So, it leads one to conclude, if limiting law abiding gun owners to one handgun purchase in thirty days does not stem the flow of guns, maybe it's not the law abiding people that are the problem. Apparently both Mr. McDonnell and Mr. Deeds understands this. Unfortunately, Mr. Deeds seems to think that private sales at gun shows is to blame. But I digress.

What Tucker and others outside of Virginia don't understand is this is not about Deeds - it's about Doug. It always is about Doug. Deeds dissed the former governor by not supporting the bill when it passed in 1993 and Wilder has a long memory. The last time Wilder did not endorse a candidate for Governor, Republican Jim Gilmore followed George Allen into the Executive Mansion. At that time, it was car salesman and sitting Lt. Governor Don Beyer who learned that Wilder can stab fellow Democrats in the back too.

The fact is, Wilder's endorsement is overrated. He waited until the last minute to endorse Jim Webb over George Allen in 2006 when Allen was already showing signs of losing. He did the same for Tim Kaine in 2005. Insiders said that Wilder's endorsement in those races was more Wilder wanting to jump on the bandwagon. Folks I know in the Black Community have told me Wilder's endorsement carries very little impact these days.

We shall see if Wilder's neutrality hurts Deeds. After winning the Democratic primary in come-from-behind fashion, his campaign has been devoid of any substance on issues. Truth be known, it was not his stand on the issues that won him the primary. He simply laid back and let Brian Moran and Terry McAuliffe beat each other over the head until the Washington Post endorsed him and used the money he had stashed away till the end to promote the Post endorsement.

Unless Deeds finds a credible voice on issues like transportation and economic growth between now and election day, it is very possible that he will crash and burn come election day and it will have very little to do with the fact that Doug Wilder sat out the election.

Brady's No Win Situation in Virginia

Shortly after the NRA endorsed Bob McDonnell for Governor in Virginia, the Brady Campaign via Paul Helmke said this:

Creigh Deeds agrees with the families of the victims of Virginia Tech that the most dangerous people, prohibited by law from purchasing guns from federally licensed gun dealers, shouldn't be able to get around those laws by buying them from non-licensed gun sellers at weapons bazaars. Bob McDonnell, who now refuses to acknowledge that this gaping loophole in Virginia gun laws even exists, appears eager to do whatever the gun lobby wants him to. That's playing politics with public safety, and the voters should judge the candidates accordingly.

Now, let me get this straight, Deeds only parts company with pro-rights voters on the issue of gun shows but has said he would sign a repeal of handgun rationing (one gun-a-month), as well as repeal of the restaurant ban. Even on the gun show issue, Deeds tried to find a way to make both parties happy (never a good thing because you only succeed in ticking off everyone) by offering to exempt those with Concealed Handgun Permits (CHPs) from undergoing background checks to complete a private sale at a show. And Brady felt the need to issue a statement on the NRA's endorsement? It must really blow to be part of the gun control lobby these days.

NRA-PVF Endorses Bob McDonnell for Governor

Today the NRA Political Victory Fund (PVF) officially endorsed Bob McDonnell for Governor of Virginia. The press release about the endorsement said the following:

“Bob McDonnell is an effective leader for Virginia hunters and gun owners,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist. “His opinions and actions as an attorney general have protected and enhanced the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Virginians. His zero-tolerance attitude toward criminals makes him the best choice for governor. We ask every Virginia hunter, gun owner and Second Amendment advocate to vote McDonnell for governor this November.”

Please contact the McDonnell campaign to learn how you can help elect Bob in November. Just go to www.bobmcdonnell.com to find the campaign office near you. VSSA will also have more information on how you can help in the coming days. Check back here for details.

Still No Mention of Second Amendment on Deeds Web Site

Creigh Deeds has not shied away from answering questions about his record on Second Amendment issues. He actually has a pretty good record with the exception of two recent votes I posted about yesterday. So, given he freely answers questions on the subject, one has to wonder why he does not mention his record on the issue on his campaign web site. The web site doesn't even mention the all encompassing "Sportsmen" issues.

I guess one reason could be that both he and McDonnell said at a recent candidate's debate that they did not believe "social" issues would play a major role in this year's campaign. But McDonnell has a Second Amendment page on the Issues section of his web site and Deeds has started to attack McDonnell on another "divisive" social issue. One might say that there is virtually no difference between the two candidates on the issue so emphasize where there are differences.

But, most believe this will be another close election so why no mention of an issue that speaks to a constituency that by all past experience can be energized to turn out for a candidate who speaks to their concerns?

Just asking.

McDonnell Takes Clear Lead Over Deeds

The Washington Post published the results yesterday of their most recent poll in the Virginia Governor's race. According to the poll, among registered voters, McDonnell holds a 47%-40% lead over Deeds but among the all important "likely" voters McDonnell holds a commanding 54% - 39% lead. According to the poll, McDonnell is doing well even in the Democratic stronghold of Northern Virginia.

In vote-rich Northern Virginia, where President Obama and other successful Democrats have won large majorities, the two run about even, 45 percent for Deeds to 42 percent for McDonnell among all registered voters. Even in the innermost Washington suburbs -- which the Democrat from rural Bath County won handily in his party's primary -- the candidates are running about even. McDonnell, who lives outside Richmond, leads by nine points in the rest of the state.

Anything can happen between now and election day which is a little over two months away. Regardless of the polls, this is going to be a hard choice for gun owners because both candidates have good records on issues important to the pro-rights community. Deeds has split with us on two votes recently - the very publicized "gun show loophole" bill and a lesser reported bill - HB 2528, that would have provided some much need sunshine on local compensated confiscation schemes (gun buy-backs). Deeds voted against the original bill, for the amended bill that neutered it considerably, then voted to uphold Governor Kaine's veto of the amended bill for which he voted. Kind of a "John Kerry Moment" if you will - "I voted against it before I voted for it before I voted against it again."

For McDonnell's part, after voting for Governor Doug Wilder's handgun rationing law (one gun-a-month) in 1993, he has had a very good record supporting gun owners rights, and has said on several occasions during this campaign that he would sign a repeal of handgun rationing if the bill passed.

Gun owners should consider this - Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen , who had a very good pro-rights record, campaigned saying he would sign a bill to repeal the restaurant ban on concealed carry, only to veto it when it passed this year. The Tennessee legislature later overrode the veto. Bredesen said he was persuaded by law enforcement arguments against the bill.

Deeds says he was persuaded by the pleas of the Virginia Tech families impacted by the 2007 shooting on the campus when he decided to vote for the "gun show loophole" bill. So, is someone else going to be able to persuade him to veto a bill he has supported in the past if he is elected Governor? Gun owners need to ask Senator Deeds this question.