Former astronaut Mark Kelly is the co-founder, along with his wife, Gabrielle Giffords, of the gun control operation known simply as Giffords. He spent years advocating for limits on civilian gun ownership like assault weapons bans, universal background checks, red flag confiscations and the like.
Then Kelly decided to run for the US Senate and — SHAZAM! — a magical thing happened: he stopped talking about gun control. In fact he’s worked hard to avoid the topic whenever and wherever possible.
Why? Simple. Despite the state trending purple due to an influx of refugees from California, Arizona is still an avidly pro-gun state with constitutional carry and history of strong support for gun rights.
Kelly and his handlers knew that if he were to have any chance of beating his Republican opponent, he’d have to ixnay any alktay of un controlgay. So that’s exactly what he’s done since he announced his candidacy.
The only mention of gun control on his web site is discreetly tucked away near the bottom of his issues list. And what he does say about it is sufficiently anodyne so as not to spook the gun-loving horses in the Grand Canyon State.
Mark will stand up to the gun lobby and fight to protect Arizona kids and communities from gun violence. He will keep kids and communities safer by working to pass universal background checks, to keep guns out of the hands of stalkers and domestic abusers, and reduce mass shootings and suicides by allowing families and law enforcement to ensure dangerous individuals and people in crisis don’t have access to firearms.
That’s about as non-controversial as any Democrat gets these days. He’s for red flag confiscations without using the term. He takes a bold stance against mass shootings. Who doesn’t want to keep guns away from stalkers and abusers? Everyone wants to keep kids safe, right?
Except those of us who pay attention to these things aren’t fooled for a minute. Literally no one thinks Kelly’s views on civilian gun ownership have changed one iota. He’s just playing up the all-American flyboy image, saluting the flag every chance he gets, and dodging any and all mention of guns just long enough to, he hopes, beat Martha McSally.
Everyone knows how the game is played. Dupe the low-information voters long enough to get yourself into office, then vote with the far-left Democrats for gun bans, confiscations, and other limits on the right to keep and bear arms.
His own supporters know exactly what he’s doing and how this has to play out. Unless a candidate is running in a deep blue state or district, Democrats can’t campaign on the issues they really hold; higher taxes, higher gas prices, socialized medicine and…strict gun control laws.
They have to duck and dodge on those issues long enough to get themselves in office. Then they throw in with the Chuck Schumers, Nancy Pelosis and AOCs of the world when it comes time to cast votes.
But sometimes lefties will let loose with an unfortunate Kinsley gaffe the real game plan. James O’Keefe’s Project Veritas crew was recently able to get one particularly chatty Kathy, Arizona Democrat party organizer and Kelly-supporting Mission for Arizona staffer Angelica Carpio, to spill the beans on camera.
I just think [Kelly] wants to get those independents. He wants to get those Republicans who don’t trust Trump anymore, and one of their main issues is guns.
So I don’t think he’s fully like been out there saying like, ‘I want like a full gun control type measure.’ And I think he just wants to get elected first and then he wants to go further.
I think he’s trying to be elected and then he’ll implement the measures.
BREAKING PART 1: @CaptMarkKelly deceives AZ voters on true gun agenda
“I don’t think he’s fully been out there saying like ‘I want a full gun control type measure”
“Trying to be elected…then he’ll implement the (gun)measures”
“I’m defaming my campaign right now”#Expose2020 pic.twitter.com/KnQc3hrXrh
— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) October 5, 2020
This is our non-shocked face. Is anyone really surprised by this? We mean, anyone who’s been paying any attention at all.
The Democrats have at least a 50-50 shot of taking control of the Senate next month. One of the seats that’s critical in that effort is flipping McSally’s seat to Kelly. So keeping from alienating Arizonans who care about their gun rights is critical.
And then there’s basement-dwelling Joe Biden. Besides saying he’ll appoint Robert Francis O’Rourke as his gun control czar if he’s elected, here are the anti-gun measures he says he wants to put in place should he win in November:
Ban the manufacture and sale of “assault weapons” and “high capacity” magazines
Hold a national “buyback” for “assault weapons” and “high capacity” magazines
Regulate “assault weapons” that aren’t turned in to the government like machine guns under the National Firearms Act
Limit the purchase of firearms to one per month
Enact a universal background check law
Ban the sale of guns, ammunition, and parts via the internet
Ban gun sales to anyone convicted of a misdemeanor “hate crime”
Extend the limit for FBI background check decisions from three days to ten days (a de facto national waiting period)
Incent all states to enact red flag confiscation laws
Incent all states to create gun licensing requirements like the Illinois Firearms Owner ID card system
Repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act
If Biden and Kelly are elected and Democrats re-take control of the Senate, is there a single item on the list above that a Senator Mark Kelly wouldn’t vote for? Think about that, Arizonans.