NRA endorses Betsy Markey

The Greeley Tribune ^ | 09182010 | Trteamer

[Trteamer]

The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund endorsed Rep. Betsy Markey,

D-Colo. for re-election this November.

NRA Chief Lobbyist Chris Cox said in a news release that Markey will defend the Second Amendment rights of Colorado gun owners and has demonstrated those rights by her vote for legislation to restore self-defense rights in the nation's capital.

“Betsy has a strong record of supporting Second Amendment rights and has been a tireless advocate for Colorado's hunters and sportsmen. With roughly 11,000 members in the 4th Congressional District, we're very glad to have their endorsement,” said Ben Marter, a spokesman for Markey's campaign.

Markey faces Republican challenger Cory Gardner and two other candidates in the Nov. 2 election.

[GOPsterinMA]

GOA got me as a new member. Most of my 2A pals have switched, including nra (small on purpose) Lifetime Membership holders.

FY nra!

[NonValueAdded]

Very disappointing. I wonder if their magazine inserts will mention her opponent's A+ rating, This should have been a push. And this just dilutes the value of their endorsement - I wonder if they have considered that?

The NRA and their ILA wing are just as insider as is the GOP leadership. Too much cult of personality for my taste. Time for new blood.

[SeattleBruce]

“I don’t see how they think endorsing candidates from a party whose primary goal is the destruction of the Constitution is in any way protecting the 2nd Amendment.”

This must be like the Tea Party Express endorsing that D in ID - they think they have something to prove to RATS. This is what wrecked a potentially more successful Bush admin - this idea that constantly, they have to tip their hat, and cow tow to liberals and progressives, so they’ll ‘like’ us.

Guess what? Liberals and Progressives want to DESTROY you, the Constitution and the country as we know it.

It’s time [NRA, and Bush moderate types, and big tenters first et al] that you started to fight for what is right - Conservative ideals and principles - and quit worrying about whether those people ‘like’ you.

[SeattleBruce]

“Who else had the NRA supported besides Reid and Markey?”

The NRA decided not to endorse either Reid or Sharron Angle:
http://sharronangle.com/septembertoremember/

[Nextrush]

Organizations like the NRA and National Right To Life have a record of endorsing inside the beltway incumbent politicians.

[mountainlion]

The NRA decided not to endorse either Reid or Sharron Angle:
http://sharronangle.com/septembertoremember/

Good news Thanks.

[Joe Brower]

So anyone who lifts a finger to question your condemnation of the NRA is a "shill", huh? Have you even bothered to call the NRA and get their side of the story?

[Roy Baty]

The NRA figures it needs to be bipartisan, like Glenn Beck and John McCain; but they should take a lesson from NOW, NAACP and other special interest groups and support the party (not the person) since all Dems work for Nancy P and Harry R.

[SunkenCiv]

His nose would have to be way pointier.

[Joe Brower]

I can't say I know enough about this to comment much, not yet anyway.

I did a search on Markey and found that she was one 65 dems who signed a letter written to Eric Holder on 3/17/09 to not reinstate the so-called "Assault Weapons Ban" which sunset in 2004. She has also written or backed other pro-gun bills, as well. So gun-rights wise, she does seem to ignore the DNC's party line on civilian disarmament.

But I agree with KansasGirl's assessment that backing dems is a bad idea in the long term and broader sense, especially if there is a Repub who scores as well, RKBA-wise. This does seem like a matter of being too single-issue, and going with the greater electability chances for the incumbent.

But like I said, this is the first I heard of this, and I haven't been tracking the races in Colorado. I'm going to call the NRA-ILA and ask them about this, though.

Thanks for the ping, AAA. Back to my paying job...

[MtnClimber]

A cheap attempt to show they are not affiliated with a political party.

[Luke21]

“Cory Gardner (R) gets an A+ rating from NRA Political Victory Fund and Markey gets the endorsement!!!!”

If the NRA felt Markey was so great there was no need to make an endorsement in this district. Gardner is not theirs or our enemy. The NRA is insane.

[Joe Brower]

[Dead Corpse]

They have done this all along. They are just under greater scrutiny these days due to the spread of information on the Internet.

[The Pack Knight]

So anyone who lifts a finger to question your condemnation of the NRA is a "shill", huh?

No, just those whose knee-jerk reaction is to whine any time someone questions the NRA even when they do something that is obviously not in the interests of gun owners.

Have you even bothered to call the NRA and get their side of the story?

Don't have to. Here is their own press release. It's pretty much exactly what the article at the top of this thread says it is.

Of course, they don't bother to explain why, between two candidates with 'A' ratings, they pick the one who will help Nancy Pelosi - who the NRA gives an 'F' - remain Speaker of the House.

[catnipman]

I'm incensed at the NRA's endorsements of people like Betsy Markey. They were set to endorse Reid until they were inundated with membership cancellations and cancellation threats, including myself. Reid and Markey are not true friends of the 2nd Amendment and if push came to shove, they'd vote to sell out gun ownership in a heartbeat if their vote was really needed in a tight situation. Markey already proved that with her vote for Obamacare.

Cory Gardner is a principled conservative and has deeply rooted pro 2nd Amendment beliefs. Gardner is at least 20 points ahead in the polls, and Markey has most likely has already been cut loose by the DCCC during their latest triage exercise. Gardner is also slated for a leadership position in the Colorado state GOP, and has been tapped as a Young Gun, putting him on the fast track as a national conservative GOP leader. Gardener is 5th a generation Coloradoan, with degrees from CSU and CU.

It makes no sense for the NRA to endorse Markey rather than Gardner.

I would dearly love to cancel my NRA membership and enroll in an alternative gun rights organization. I know that there are several effective alternative gun rights organizations, though how effective I could not say at this point, as it's not something I've studied.

I do see Amicus Briefs filed in the McDonald v. City of Chicago case by several national gun rights organizations, including:

National Association of Gun Rights

National Shooting Sports Foundation

Gun Owners Foundation



Also, there is our own Rocky Mountain Gun Owners and the Colorado State Shooting Association

Can anyone else comment about the relative effectiveness of the organizations listed above?

[Roy Baty]

http://www.kc3.com/Links/national_organizations.htm

[AvOrdVet]

And of course...

Gun Owners of America (GOA)

Second Amendment Foundation (SAF)

Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (JPFO)

[The Pack Knight]

To be fair, I can think of two reasons to back Markey. First, she isn't running for Senate, so she won't have a hand in voting on Obama's judicial nominees. Second, they probably want to reward Democrat incumbents who make pro-gun votes (or, in other cases, who at least support NRA-friendly pork).

But that pales before the key issue: What is the best thing for gun owners that could happen in 2010? That would be for Republicans to take back control of Congress. This endorsement, in a toss-up race in a conservative-leaning district where the GOP has a good chance at beating a Democrat incumbent, works against that result.

[MileHi]

The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund endorsed Rep. Betsy Markey,

And MileHi cancelled his membership yesterday after 25+ years.