When candidates run for office in rural districts, they naturally want to prove they\u2019re just like the voters they seek to represent. But things often don\u2019t go as planned when they\u2019re just posing as everyday gun owners.<\/p>\n
Such was the case in Missouri recently when Democrat Lucas Kunce, a candidate for U.S. Senate, and former congressmen turned CNN commentator Adam Kinzinger held a media event at a private range near Holt, Missouri. With media in tow, Kunce, who is trying to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, set out to prove his marksmanship skills\u2014a sure way, it seems, for Democrats to prove they are not anti-Second Amendment advocates.<\/p>\n
As both Kunce and Kinzinger are military veterans, one would think they could have avoided the inevitable problem that soon occurred. Who they meant to impress by shooting AR-15s at targets only 10 to 12 yards downrange is anyone\u2019s guess. But almost anyone who has ever shot an AR\u2014or any other rifle\u2014knows you shouldn\u2019t shoot steel targets at such a short distance.<\/p>\n
Alas, that\u2019s what the duo did. And, given the propensity of bullets to ricochet off hard surfaces, a fragment from one of Kunce\u2019s bullets bounced off a target and hit Ryan Gamboa, a Kansas City television reporter, in the arm. Kunce and Kinzinger managed to patch up Gamboa\u2019s wound, and the range session continued.<\/p>\n Of course, it could have been worse. Any bystanders could have been hit somewhere more serious than the arm with a ricochet when shooting steel at that distance. In fact, one photo from the media op shows Kinzinger sending rounds downrange with his safety glasses on top of his head! He could easily have lost an eye or even had his brain penetrated by a ricocheted bullet fragment.<\/p>\n Alas, candidate Kunce was able to brush the bullet wound aside and declare victory following the episode.<\/p>\n \u201cGreat day at the range today with my friend @AdamKinzinger,\u201d he posted on X. \u201cWe got to hang out with some union workers while exercising our freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n Then, rather than apologizing to the photographer for putting him in harm\u2019s way, Kunce bragged about his own preparedness.<\/p>\n \u201cAlways have your first aid kit handy,\u201d he posted. \u201cShrapnel can always fly when you hit a target like today, and you\u2019ve got to be ready to go. We had four first aid kits, so we were able to take care of the situation, and I\u2019m glad Ryan is okay and was able to continue reporting.\u201d<\/p>\n Gamboa did reportedly go to a hospital after the event to get his arm checked and was afterwards released several news outlets reported. The group had Tannerite on hand as well as evidenced in the photos. Tannerite<\/a> is an explosive target that is fun to shoot, but definitely shouldn\u2019t be shot at at such close range as the photos indicate.<\/p>\n Regarding media opportunities gone wrong involving Democrat candidates this election season, this one might have topped the recent escapade by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, when he invited television reporters along on a pheasant hunt. Walz blew the video op by bumbling and fumbling<\/a> while trying to load his Berretta semi-auto shotgun. The bungled loading video had some on social media questioning whether he\u2019d ever been pheasant hunting.<\/p>\n True to form, Walz didn\u2019t take the criticism well. When asked about it later in an appearance on \u201cThe View,\u201d Walz lashed out, claiming he has superior marksmanship skills compared to his \u201cright-winger\u201d critics.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I can shoot better than all of them,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve got the trophies to prove it.\u201d<\/p>\n Perhaps, when both Kunce and Walz lose on election day, they can spend some quality time together in the field or on the range!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Lead-Photo.jpg\")