The following videos, of Republican State Senators and Delegates walking out of the Virginia Crime Commission meeting yesterday, are all very telling (note: videos courtesy of American Bridge 21st Century). Check out how they all not only dodged the questions about whether or not they support “red flag” (aka, “extreme risk protective order”) laws, but basically ran away!
I particularly enjoyed the video of Del. David Yancey (R-HD94), who was walking by himself and not talking to anyone, who once asked about “red flag” laws, peevishly – and falsely – said that he was in a conversation with someone, then looked for someone to talk to. Also check out the video of Sen. Bryce Reeves (R-SD17), Sen. Bill DeSteph (R-SD8), and Del. Roxann Robinson (R-HD27), all of whom dodged the question, using some variant on the phrase, “I’d have look at the details of any legislation.”
By the way, note that all four of these Republicans have received 90%-100%/A ratings from the NRA over the years. Also note that they all are in potential danger of losing their seats on November 5.
- Sen. Bryce Reeves, for instance, is in a district won by Tim Kaine (52%-46%) last year, and is facing an excellent Democratic challenger in Amy Laufer.
- As for Sen. Bill “Rub Me Lamp“ DeSteph, he’s in a district that went 52%-46% for Tim Kaine in 2018 and 50%-49% for Ralph Northam in 2017. DeSteph is being challenged by the impressive Missy Cotter Smasal (D) this November 5.
- The most endangered Republican of these four is clearly Del. David Yancey, who’s in a deep-blue district (due to new lines following the “racial packing” lawsuit) that went 63%-35% for Tim Kaine and 60%-39% for Ralph Northam. Yancey is going to lose on November 5 to Democrat Shelly Simonds, who he “defeated” (in air quotes) in November 2017 after the election was tied and was decided by drawing a name from a ceramic bowl.
- Last but…ok, least, Del. Roxann Robinson is in a district that went for Tim Kaine 54%-44% and Ralph Northam 51%-48%, and faces a very strong Democratic opponent in Larry Barnett.
So yeah, let’s defeat all these in-the-pocket-of-the-gun-lobby Republicans in 76 days. Instead, let’s do whatever we can to elect Amy Laufer over Bryce Reeves, Missy Cotter Smasal over Bill DeSteph, Shelly Simonds over David Yancey, and Larry Barnett over Roxann Robinson this fall! With the Democrats, one thing’s for sure: they won’t be running away from important topics like preventing gun violence, but instead will be rolling up their sleeves and doing something about it!
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