Connecticut – -(AmmoLand.com)- Connecticut has a long history when it comes to firearms. Colt, the maker of legendary handguns like the M1911 semi-automatic and Peacemaker revolver, was based there for a long time. These days, though, Connecticut has been one of the worst states when it comes to respecting the Second Amendment.
In some ways, it shouldn’t be a surprise. Connecticut is a very blue state these days – the last time a Republican won that state was in 1988, when George H. W. Bush won his only term. Democratic nominees for president have managed to take at least 54.3 percent of the vote in the last five elections. At the gubernatorial level, though, it’s a little different.
We don’t need to say much about Connecticut’s current governor. Dan Malloy is an avowed enemy of our Second Amendment rights. Earlier this year, he called the National Rifle Association a terrorist organization. Like Andrew Cuomo, he rammed a massive semi-auto ban through in the wake of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Even before that shooting, he was awful. In his first run for governor in 2010, Malloy had an F rating from the NRA, according to Project Vote Smart.
Malloy is not running for a third term due to massive negatives. The two candidates who are running have very different views on our Second Amendment rights. Democrat Ned Lamont, best known for beating Joe Lieberman in a 2006 primary, plans to go further than Malloy did, vowing to support gun buybacks and gun-rationing schemes. Lamont backed the semi-auto ban, even though rifles of all types kill less than 25 percent of the total number of people killed with knives.
In short, if you like what Malloy did with your gun rights, Democrat Ned Lamont, promises more of the same. That means blaming and punishing law-abiding gun owners for the acts of criminals and madmen. It means the use of your First Amendment rights of petitioning lawmakers, freedom of speech, and the right to peaceably assemble to defend the Second Amendment gets called terrorism. Doesn’t sound very good at all, does it? The only good thing you can say about his position is he isn’t saying, “Mr. and Mrs. Connecticut, turn `em in.”
The Republican, Bob Stefanowski, is not exactly a known quantity on the Second Amendment. While his official campaign page says little, Breitbart News reports he is a supporter of the Second Amendment. His grade from the National Rifle Association’s Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) was AQ, per the Hartford Courant. This means he filled out the questionnaire sent out by the NRA-PVF. Due to the fact that he has not held elective office, and thus has no track record, the questionnaire is all we have to go on.
Track records are important. It’s why the NRA has often stuck with pro-Second Amendment incumbents – even when they were Democrats. Loyalty is a two-way street – and long-term relationships help when the going gets very rough. When all you have is a questionnaire, you’re taking a gamble.
With that in mind, considering Lamont’s stated hostility towards our Second Amendment rights, Stefanowski is arguably the best shot supporters of the Second Amendment have at this point. Candidates from the Libertarian and Constitution parties are running for the governorship in Connecticut. While both those parties have strong pro-Second Amendment positions, they have no chance of winning this gubernatorial race.
No, the semi-auto ban Malloy rammed through after Sandy Hook will not be repealed in the near future if Republican, Bob Stefanowski wins. But the election of Stefanowski means that those who wish to see progress in protecting our Second Amendment rights will not be blamed for the actions of criminals and madmen. It’s not a perfect situation, but sometimes, the best you can hope for is small steps in the right direction.
*Read more on Republican, Bob Stefanowski at www.bobforgovernor.com
About Harold Hutchison
Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.
Sorry OP, but Bob can win. If a socialist, anti-2nd Amendment mayor like Andrew Gillum can run for governor in Florida, then Mr Bob Stefanowski can win in Connecticut. I say, let’s get boots on the ground to volunteer for Bob! This is an order. Volunteer for Bob, here, at his Twitter page:
https://www.twitter.com/bobforgovernor/status/1050166589407076352
I live in Connecticut and do not think Mr. Sefanowski has a chance to win… unfortunately. The public sector unions and many of their employees will vote for Ned (Malloy) Lamont, the minorities living in the major cities will vote for Ned as will any democrat…Connecticut is sick and gasping…in yesterday’s paper there was an article about the state having 300+ bridges that are deficient…google Mianus River Bridge. Malloy took over $500 million from the bridge and road funding and spent it on the busway that no one rides. Connecticut has 6 months of winter; the busway a walled sub… Read more »
My lovely SO lives in CT, and has a CCW. She also shoots a lot, is pretty good shot, and is active in the pre-election process. Living within a few miles of the ‘Sandy Hoax” (staged setup) there is only one way she will give up her protection. They had best not try to enforce their take back beliefs. Ready, willing, and able..
While Bob Stefanowski may have a good shot at winning over Ned Lamont, the Connecticut Legislature will surly be a Democrat (Communist) majority as it has been for over 40 years. Let’s be clear, this is a state that has sent two of the worst Senator, Chris Murphy and Dick Blumenthal, to Washington, along with a clown car full of Representatives, to the House. As a matter of fact, it’s now said that Chris Murphy is the leader of the Democrat (Communist) Party in Connectciut. As for “No, the semi-auto ban Malloy rammed through after Sandy Hook will not be… Read more »
Not if he’s a RINO aka socialist Marxist communist democrat with a deceptive R after his name like Susan Collins.
I have a local woman now running for a seat in my state senate. She has prior elected service as part of her credentials. Yesterday I got my American Rifleman with the insert of ratings for my states candidates. I was pretty upset to see her with a D rating and contacted her. Now she is upset with the NRA because she says in the past she had a much better rating and wasn’t contacted about this this years race.
Ansel, you might want to look at her voting record. The NRA wouldn’t arbitrarily give her a bad score. She probably recently has voted against good bills and/or voted for bad ones or proposed such.