Tuesday, August 06, 2013 11:05:55 AM
Posted on 08/10/2013 1:15:26 PM PDT by neverdem
Sen. Mark Pryor gets an assist from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand to save him from Bloomberg’s money, then cuts the ribbon at an ammunition factory. Gun control advocates are fine with the factory thing, but not Gillibrand’s money. Welcome to Arkansas 2014.
WASHINGTON — Sen. Mark Pryor broke ground at an expanded Remington ammunition factory in his home state of Arkansas Thursday — a gun-friendly move by a gun-friendly Democrat.
That’s not normally something that would make much news: Even ardent Democrats in Arkansas are firmly supportive of gun rights. But with pro-gun control Democrats coming to his aid, Pryor’s 2014 race highlights the tension between ideological purity and electoral realities.
The event sent a strange and unpredictable ripple through national Democratic politics, and exposed how the fight against gun violence is already proving to be awkward for Democrats in the 2014 cycle.
Pryor is getting help from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the New York Democrat who wants to see him reelected over the whims of people like New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who is trying to punish Pryor and other Democrats who didn’t support gun control legislation after the Newtown, Conn., elementary school shootings.
Bloomberg’s group ran TV ads against Pryor after he voted against the Manchin-Toomey background check bill, helping to doom President Barack Obama’s goal of gun control legislation in his second term.
It’s an unusual backdrop for the run-up to the next election, which will see gun control advocates pushing to get their goals onto the agenda by spending money in races across the country, while Democrats — natural allies of the gun control side — fight to hold onto a majority in the Senate by waging battle in the gun-friendly red states. Gun control advocates sniping at allies like Gillibrand, and Democrats like Gillibrand urging gun control advocates to leave Democrats like Pryor alone, will be likely be par for the course.
Here’s the weird thing: The gun control side is OK with Pryor going to the factory, but they’re mad at Gillibrand for helping Pryor raise money.
“I wouldn’t say he has to diss the industry,” said one prominent gun control advocate. “We’re fine with guns and commerce.”
Gillibrand, meanwhile, says she doesn’t necessarily support Pryor’s visit to the Remington plant — which manufactures ammo used in so-called assault weapons — but does think Pryor should be reelected to Congress over the objections of Bloomberg and his allies. She sent a fundraising email to her supporters Wednesday calling for them to send money to Pryor, a conservative Democrat facing an uphill climb for reelection next year.
“Sen. Gillibrand believes that it is important to the future of our country to retain a Democratic majority in the Senate,” Glen Caplin, Gillibrand’s Senate spokesperson, said. “And she believes it’s important to send Mark Pryor back to the Senate. We’re not going to agree on every issue with Sen. Pryor, just like she doesn’t agree on every issue with the rest of her colleagues on every issue, and even the president.”
Gillibrand supporters note Pryor backed the idea of cracking down on gun trafficking, which was the focus of a bill Gillibrand introduced during the Senate gun debate, which eventually failed to produce any meaningful legislation.
The gun control advocates just don’t understand what Gillibrand is up to in Arkansas.
“Now that she styles herself a major gun control advocate, her time might be better spent raising money for the senate women from red states who voted for the background check bill — Hagan, Shaheen and Landrieu — than the guy who didn’t,” the advocate said.
A Gillibrand supporter noted the New York Senator sent a fundraising email mentioning the three women in June.
None of the national controversy appeared to phase Pryor at the Remington plant Thursday.
“I have a Remington shotgun and I use Remington shells,” Pryor said at the groundbreaking.
Toward the end of the vote, Pryor entered the chamber through the back door, took a few steps inside, flashed a thumbs-down to the clerk, and retreated as fast and furtively as somebody dodging gunfire.
Several minutes later, the Democrats had racked up more than enough votes to block the proposal. "Are there any senators in the chamber wishing to vote or wishing to change their vote?" the presiding officer inquired.
Pryor burst back in, this time through a side door. "Mr. President!" he called out. "Mr. President!" He stopped in the well to consult with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), a gun-control advocate who was keeping the whip sheet. Schumer gave Pryor a nod, and the Arkansan -- reassured that his vote was not needed to defeat the proposal -- changed his vote to an "aye."
On the Amendment (Thune Amdt. No. 1618 )
RINOs Lugar & Voinovich gave Pryor and another rat a FReebie on a NRA scored vote.
Are there Freepers from Arkansas?
Could be.
AFAIK, there’s nobody officially keeping an Arkansas ping list.
“The gun control advocates just don’t understand what Gillibrand is up to in Arkansas.”
Well, they must be dense. This hack is trying to keep plunger Reid as head of senate.
I hope Arkansans see right through this. Pryor is being backed by a far left dunce from New York, which says a lot about what a fraud he is. ‘Conservative democrat’... yeah right. I hope this guy loses by more than 5 points.
At this point, Cotton would have to run a campaign as grossly incompetent as Katherine Harris in FL in ‘06 or Sharron Angle in NV in ‘10 to lose against Pryor.
He won’t. He’s a smart guy, and he knows Pryor’s weaknesses. Its worse now that Pryor is taking money from NY DemoRat Kirsten Killaband.
Cotton will be well funded, and won’t face any kind of serious primary opposition. Originally, I had declared Kay Hagan the most vulnerable senate incumbent (slipped in on a fluke because of a terrible opponent). Now, I can say with confidence that its Mark Pryor. He’s in even more trouble than Mighty Mouse Mitch.
Me too, esp since 5 points is about what it takes to overcome democrat voter fraud...
mosaicwolf & ConservativeMan55 wrote me that they would keep Arkansas' ping list, IIRC. So I sent FReepmail twice today for the two Arkansas stories that I stumbled on today. mosaicwolf & ConservativeMan55 made comments on the forum today. Maybe neither checked their FReepmail today. If I need an update, please FReepmail me.
Pryor is getting help from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the New York Democrat who wants to see him reelected over the whims of people like New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who... ran TV ads against Pryor after he voted against the Manchin-Toomey background check bill... Here’s the weird thing: The gun control side is OK with Pryor going to the factory, but they’re mad at Gillibrand for helping Pryor raise money.
mosaicwolf & ConservativeMan55 wrote me that they would keep Arkansas’ ping list, IIRC.
***********************
As I recall, Freeper rdb3 (I think that’s his handle) is in Arkansas. Conservative guy.
“None of the national controversy appeared to phase Pryor at the Remington plant Thursday.”
“...a gun-friendly move by a gun-friendly Democrat...”
There’s no such thing.
There’s only Democrats up for Re-election in Gun States, and Democrats Who Get Elected And Then Vote for Gun Control.
They talk out of both sides of their two faces.
Boehner could not pass a gun control bill through the house even with Pelosi’s support.
The last gun vote they took was 255 against Eric Holder.
Gun Owners of America should get involved as they are against the 2035 Rubiocare gun ban.
And the public votes for them anyway with no ability to put two and two together.
Is there gonna be a viable primary challenge to McConnell?
Do you think he could actually lose to the rat?
Yeah, McConnell has a real problem. Matt Bevin could take him out. He has 9 1/2 months to do so, and though he is at 20% in the last GOP poll, McConnell is at 59%, and he could easily fall 10% in that time (which would prompt a runoff). Bevin would probably do better in a general matchup against Grimes. After 30 years, McConnell has worn out his welcome (if he does manage to get renominated, he could conceivably narrowly lose in Nov ‘14 — only to be saved if Zero’s numbers are disastrous, which they likely will be. It’ll be an ugly win, though. If Grimes wins, she’ll be a one-term fluke).
If McConnell didn’t lose in 2008 with the wind in his face, he’s not going to lose in 2014 with control of the Senate on the line and Obama hugely unpopular in KY. Heck, the Dems couldn’t even hold the KY-06 in 2012 with an incumbent less liberal than Grimey (as she prefers to be called), and the KY-06 is like 5% less Republican than the state as a whole.
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