VSSA Endorses State Senator Bryce Reeves for GOP 7th District Nomination

 VSSA is proud to endorse State Senator Bryce Reeves for the GOP Nomination for the 7th Congressional District.  Besides being a strong advocate for our rights in the Virginia General Assembly, Senator Reeves is a long time VSSA member.  We are proud to endorse one of our own to represent Virginia's 7th District in Congress.  It was Senator Reeves who led the effort to overturn Attorney General Mark Herring's 2015 attack on concealed carry reciprocity.  He has also voted against the extreme agenda of the gun ban lobby including voting against red flag laws that violate our due process rights, so-called "universal" background checks that would criminalize private transfers of firearms, standard capacity magazine bans, and voted against handgun rationing.  VSSA urges all gun owners in the the 7th Congressional District to vote for State Senator Bryce Reeves in the June 21 GOP Primary.  

 

State Senator and VSSA Member Bryce Reeves Among Seven Candidates Running in 7th Congressional District Primary

With this past year's redistricting, the 7th Congressional District looks much different than it did the last 10 years, so much so that current 7th District Representative Abigail Spanberger does not even live in the district any longer (living in the district is not a requirement to be eligible to run).  She apparently has no intention of moving until after the election.

On the GOP side, there are seven Republicans registered in the June 21 primary seeking to challenge Spanberger later this year. The GOP candidates in the 7th are State Senator (and VSSA member) Bryce Reeves (Spotsylvania), Gary Adkins, Derrick Anderson, Gina Ciarcia, David Ross, Stafford County Board Chair Crystal Vanuch and Prince William Board Supervisor Yesli Vega.

State Senator Reeves has been a stalwart supporter of the right to keep and bear arms.  He is not just a supporter of the right, but he is a gun owner.  He is a VSSA member.  He has voted against red flag laws, so-called "universal" background checks, standard capacity magazine bans, and voted against handgun rationing.  Reeves is also a recipient of the Defender of Freedom Award from the NRA.  He also spoke at a recent VSSA Annual Meeting.

The June 21st primary is open to all voters.  Reeves has a great opportunity to defeat Spanberger.  As of now, the NRAPVF has not posted candidate ratings for the GOP candidates in this race, but we know how Reeves would vote as a congressman based on his record in the General Assembly.  VSSA members would have a fellow member in Congress if he were to win the primary and the general election.  You can find out more about Senator Reeves' campaign at https://www.brycereeves.com/. 

If you are going to be out of town on June 21st, you can vote early.

Rick Waugh and Eric Cantor on the Second Amendment

7th District Democratic Congressional Candidate Rick Waugh appears to be trying to have it both ways on the right to keep and bear arms. He says he believes the Second Amendment protects an individual right but states and cities should be able to pass laws that fit their situation. I wonder if this means Waugh does not support Virginia's preemption statute that forbids cities from passing gun control statutes?

On his campaign web site, Waugh had this reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in McDonald vs. Chicago:

My reaction to McDonald v. Chicago: As an outdoorsman from a military family I understand the importance of responsible gun ownership. Like the President, I believe that the Second Amendment confers an individual right to bear arms. It is important that states, cities, and counties retain some ability to pass commonsense laws that make sense for each individual community. Justice Alito spoke to this concern and some of the law-enforcement communities' concerns in his opinion, but I believe some additional concerns remain

First, gun owners should be suspicious of anyone who starts out with "Like the President" to describe their views on the Second Amendment when the President happens to be Barack Obama. It is well documented that Obama is no friend of gun owners or the 2nd Amendment. In fact, he did not even have his solicitor general submit a brief in McDonald vs. Chicago, a case where an African American was suing the City of Chicago for the right to self defense in his home. Second, Waugh almost repeats word for word the talking points from the Brady Campaign about how local governments need the ability to "pass commonsense laws."

The 7th District has been represented for nine years by Representative Eric Cantor. Cantor has a long history of supporting the right to keep and bear arms, going all the way back to his days in the Virginia General Assembly. He signed the congressional amicus brief in both the Heller vs. DC and McDonald vs. Chicago cases. He set up a web site during the Heller case urging visitors to sign the petition to Save the Second Amendment, and he has an "A" rating from the NRA in each of his elections. Cantor is a candidate gun owners can trust.

Waugh on the other hand has never held office so we can only go by what he says. He uses the language of the antis to describe his views on the Second Amendment. Simply having your picture taken with people wearing "Guns Save Lives" stickers and posting them on your web site does not equate with supporting the Second Amendment. Gun owners should not be fooled and should support the only candidate in the 7th District with a proven track record on the right to keep and bear arms - Eric Cantor.