Georgia Special Election An Embarrassment Of Riches

New Right-to-Carry Case Filed; Second Amendment Advocates Seek Injunction Against Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Public Safety Commissioner Gary Vowell, Cherokee County, and Probate Judge Keith Wood
Georgia Special Election An Embarrassment Of Riches

Georgia – -(AmmoLand.com)- Sometimes, you can have too many of a good thing. That is the case in the special election that is taking place in Georgia for the Senate seat that Johnny Isakson vacated late last year. The top two contenders on the Republican side are both good choices.

One is Kelly Loeffler, the current incumbent. She was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by Isakson’s early retirement and was sworn in this past January. In the seven months since, she has been performing well, introducing the Gun Owner Privacy Act as well as S Con Res 40. Given the fact that she was an outsider with no track record in elected office, it’s fair to say she has hit the ground running on Second Amendment issues.

The other contender is Representative Doug Collins, who was the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee – at least until he had to step down when he announced his candidacy for the seat. Collins has a strong pro-Second Amendment track record and has co-sponsored both the Hearing Protection Act and the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, while also introducing the MVP Act, which targets violent criminals and also includes the provisions of Lindsey Graham’s Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act.

The problem, of course, is that only one of them can fill this seat, meaning that Second Amendment supporters now have a hard choice to make. Both Loeffler and Collins are relatively young – Loeffler is 49, Collins is 53, and thus we could have a Second Amendment champion in the Senate for three decades (or more).

So, who should be the pick? Collins has a longer track record in Washington, but his decision to vacate his House seat, especially when he could replace Jerrold Nadler as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is a bit of a head-scratcher. He also has both a law degree and clerical training.

Loeffler’s background is in business and the corporate world. Her ownership of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream made big news given some recent comments. Other than that, she has no experience in political office.

Collins would be an excellent pick using conventional wisdom, given his past track record and his education. But these days, the fight for the Second Amendment has moved beyond the legislative and political arena, and now is just as likely to be fought in a corporate boardroom as it is the floor of the House or Senate.

As good a track record as Collins has posted, Loeffler’s background in the corporate world may be crucial, especially if President Trump is re-elected and nominates pro-Second Amendment replacements for Associate Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer, shifting the Supreme Court’s balance in a decisively pro-Second Amendment direction. In addition, as a general rule, pro-Second Amendment incumbents should be supported absent compelling justification for their removal.

Second Amendment supporters also need to keep in mind that the Georgia special election for the Senate seat once held by Isakson is more of a “jungle primary” – in which the top two candidates will move to a runoff should nobody win more than 50 percent of the vote. There is a very real risk that Collins and Loeffler could split the vote and leave a runoff with two Democrats. In this case, Second Amendment supporters should keep Loeffler in, and Collins should either return to the House of Representatives, or maybe be selected as Attorney General should President Trump win re-election.


About Harold HutchisonHarold 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.

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John in North Georgia

I don’t trust Collins, as he consistently voted for every bill that increased federal spending and the size of the federal government. He may have generally voted in support of the Second Amendment, but he is a neocon, not a conservative.

TNJEWBOY

Collins last Freedom Index (TRIM) was 59%.
Where is Larry MacDonald when you need him?

TNJEWBOY

Just remember that Loeffler sold her stocks before the market crashed a few months ago.

Say, when are we going to get a candidate with enough brains to ask a question about each bill being proposed?
“IF this bill passes will it increase the size, cost, reach and power of government??”

GUNFUN

We need more of these problems.

Gindy

Oftentimes there is no choice!

Bill

This smells like a set up to me folks. This Loeffler could very well be someone who is there at the direction of her handlers to take your support from Mr Collins and will then reveal her true colors and turn on you when you need her most. With a background in the “corporate ” world has anyone really dug into her life, associates, who she partied with, who she donated to, I’d almost bet she has ties to the Clowns In America. What corporations was she involved with? There are so many Clown assets running for office now its… Read more »

Bobocat

Good point, look out for the R.I.N.O.’s

Morrigan

If Collins has a chance of replacing The Penguin I hope he will stay the course and do so. Take one for the team. PLEASE, God!

Dragonfly

Yee Gads!, Robin, “BB” looked pretty good, but anybody that voted in favor of the Soc/Lib Abrams is enough to make a “Citizen” throw up!!

This needs some cognitive consideration. To the Bat Cave, Robin.

DF

GASwamper

Many of us conservatives in Georgia refer to Loeffler as “Buckhead Barbie” and paid close attention to her pre-political appointment actions. Notably, she supported Stacy Abrams, extreme-liberal candidate for governor of Georgia. Loeffler has also supported numerous globalist programs prior to her appointment. Republican does not automatically mean conservative, especially fiscally conservative as Collins track record may point out. That said, Collins has consistently supported the 2nd Amendment. I suspect that Loeffler’s initial support of the 2nd Amendment is out of necessity brought on by the upcoming election. It’s a question of which one is more conservative and truthfully a… Read more »