Incumbent Democrats Supporting Gun Control Win; Those Appeasing Gun Lobby Lose

Nov 3, 2010

Washington, D.C. - Twenty-seven Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives who were endorsed by the National Rifle Association were defeated yesterday, while only two incumbent Democratic House members who co-sponsored a major gun control bill this session lost their re-election bids.

Of the 49 Democratic incumbents who lost, 29 (59 percent) had an A rating from the NRA and 25 (51 percent) received financial support from the NRA. Of the 176 incumbent Democrats who won reelection, 145 (82 percent) did so without the NRA endorsement.

In contrast, only two of the 101 Democratic House incumbents who co-sponsored legislation to close the gun show loophole lost yesterday.  Those losses were offset by Democratic House seat pickups by gun control supporters in Louisiana and Hawaii.

“The election returns should send a clear message to the Democratic Party: appeasing the gun lobby had little political benefit,” said Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.  “Many Democrats who carried the NRA’s water in the House, like Travis Childers of Mississippi, Zack Space of Ohio and Rick Boucher of Virginia, were rejected by the voters.”

Nor did the NRA’s money provide much help to Democratic incumbents.  When push came to shove, the NRA spent nearly all its money on electing Republicans, not supporting Democrats.  According to a Brady Campaign analysis, of approximately $6.8 million in NRA independent expenditures this year, more than 96 percent was spent to help Republican candidates. 

“On the gun violence issue, the Democratic leadership has too often been paralyzed by the perceived need to protect the NRA stalwarts in their caucus,” Helmke said.  “Now we see that appeasing the gun lobby did Congressional Democrats little good, while Democratic candidates supporting common sense gun restrictions won overwhelmingly. This attempt to placate the NRA meant that we just lost another two years in dealing with the plague of gun violence that takes too many innocent lives.”

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The Brady Campaign is the nation's largest citizens' lobby to prevent gun violence. We represent the voice of the overwhelming majority of Americans who are tired of living with the constant tragedy of gun violence and are in favor of strong laws and policies that will save lives. We are the light that exposes politicians who are putting the American people at risk, empowering the American people to hold them accountable for decisions and actions that undermine public safety.

We are driven by the focused vision of a nation where all Americans are safe at home, at work, at school, and in our communities.

Dan Gross is the President of the Brady Campaign and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. A photo and more information about Dan Gross is available here.

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