{"id":501,"date":"2022-11-06T08:40:44","date_gmt":"2022-11-06T08:40:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/?p=501"},"modified":"2022-11-06T08:40:44","modified_gmt":"2022-11-06T08:40:44","slug":"colorados-senate-race-gives-gun-owners-a-clear-choice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/?p=501","title":{"rendered":"Colorado&#8217;s Senate Race Gives Gun Owners a Clear Choice"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"td-post-featured-image\">\n<figure><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302085010627-scaled.jpg\" data-caption=\"Republican challenger Joe O'Dea speaks during a televised debate with Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"696\" height=\"464\" class=\"entry-thumb td-modal-image\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302085010627-696x464.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302085010627-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302085010627-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302085010627-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302085010627-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302085010627-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302085010627-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302085010627-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302085010627-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302085010627-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302085010627-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302085010627-560x373.jpg 560w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" alt=\"\" title=\"Colorado Senate race Bennett O'Dea\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Republican challenger Joe O&#8217;Dea speaks during a televised debate with Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Colorado\u2019s two contenders for the U.S. Senate\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0FhYUK-s_mc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>faced off<\/strong><\/a> in a second debate that included Democratic Sen. Michael Bennett and Republican challenger Joe O\u2019Dea answering questions from moderators about gun rights and gun control. The first debate didn\u2019t address issues pertinent to the firearm and ammunition industry or Second Amendment rights. This second debate showed their contrasting policy positions.<\/p>\n<p>Questions regarding firearm and gun control laws were raised about 20 minutes into the hour-long debate, starting with quick \u201cyes-or-no\u201d answers before the two candidates elaborated on their positions.<\/p>\n<p>Both candidates agreed on supporting universal background checks for all firearm transfers, which is currently forbidden by federal law and unworkable without a national firearm registry. They also agreed that a 10-day waiting period for firearm purchases is not something that they would support. That\u2019s where agreement ended, however.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Gun Bans<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>O\u2019Dea\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0FhYUK-s_mc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a><\/strong> he would not support an age-based gun ban. Sen. Bennett said he would. When it came to a national ban on modern sporting rifles (MSRs), Sen. Bennett said he would support President Joe Biden\u2019s demand that Congress pass legislation to ban what he terms as \u201cassault weapons.\u201d They are, in fact, semiautomatic rifles, which operate the same way as duck hunting shotguns and most modern pistols. They\u2019re the most popular-selling centerfire rifle in America today, with over 24.4 million in circulation in American.<\/p>\n<p>If Sen. Bennett has his way, that would be no more.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think we\u2019ve made enough of these weapons of war,\u201d he\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0FhYUK-s_mc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>O\u2019Dea clashed with Sen. Bennett on the issue of more gun control laws.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLook, we\u2019ve got plenty of laws on the books. Every time we turn around and have an event, we put another law on the book [<em>sic<\/em>]. We need to enforce the laws that are on the books now,\u201d O\u2019Dea\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0FhYUK-s_mc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">explained<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0\u201cAnd I will not be lectured by Democrats that continue to say we need to change this gun law, change that gun law, when they fail to enforce the laws that we have on the books. If you\u2019re a drug dealer and you possess a weapon, you don\u2019t get charged with a felony here in Colorado. That\u2019s ridiculous to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>O\u2019Dea\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0FhYUK-s_mc\">said<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0instead of more laws, Congress and the Biden administration must do more to support law enforcement to lock up criminals that break the law. That includes putting more police in local schools to protect children. O\u2019Dea said that is a much better investment of taxpayer dollars than the Biden administration\u2019s plan to spend $80 billion for 87,000 new IRS agents.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>More Gun Control<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Sen. Bennett, instead of answering the question on more gun control laws, defended the plan to boost the ranks of the IRS.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_533158\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-533158\" style=\"width: 696px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-533158 size-large\" alt=\"\" width=\"696\" height=\"464\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-560x373.jpg 560w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-700x467.jpg\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-533158 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-700x467.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"696\" height=\"464\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AP22302092247835-560x373.jpg 560w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\"\/><\/noscript><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-533158\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet speaks during a debate with Republican challenger Joe O\u2019Dea, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, on the campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When he finally pivoted back to the question of gun control, he attacked O\u2019Dea for refusing to support federal \u201cred flag\u201d laws that do not include adequate or real Constitutional due process protections for the person subject such an order and blasted the NRA for not supporting the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.<\/p>\n<p>NSSF did not support, nor did it oppose, the bill in its entirety. NSSF\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nssf.org\/articles\/nssf-statement-on-the-bipartisan-safer-communities-act\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>supported portions<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0of the legislation, including providing more resources to address mental health and improve school security, checking to see if a buyer had become prohibited while a juvenile, strengthening penalties for illegal \u201cstraw\u201d purchases and illegal firearms trafficking and clarifying when someone is required to have a federal firearm licensees.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn guns, I just want it to be very clear,\u201d Sen. Bennett\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0FhYUK-s_mc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0\u201cJoe O\u2019Dea said he supports no gun laws beyond what we already have as a society. He\u2019s against the red flag law we have in Colorado and he said he would have voted against the bipartisan gun bill that is the first time in a generation that Republicans and Democrats have overcome the NRA.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Coloradans will have the final say on Nov. 8 when they cast their ballot for who will represent them in the U.S. Senate. This vote is critical to protecting the firearm industry and the Second Amendment rights of all Americans. Voters can learn more about how to register, where to vote and how their elected officials stand on firearm-industry issues. Don\u2019t Risk Your Rights.\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/action.gunvote.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#GUNVOTE.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-509812 size-full\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"717\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/GUNVOTE.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/GUNVOTE-300x179.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/GUNVOTE-700x418.png 700w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/GUNVOTE-768x459.png 768w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/GUNVOTE-770x460.png 770w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/GUNVOTE.png\"\/><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-509812 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/GUNVOTE.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"717\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/GUNVOTE.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/GUNVOTE-300x179.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/GUNVOTE-700x418.png 700w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/GUNVOTE-768x459.png 768w, https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/GUNVOTE-770x460.png 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p><em>Larry Keane is SVP for Government and Public Affairs, Assistant Secretary and General Counsel of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nssf.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">National Shooting Sports Foundation<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthaboutguns.com\/colorados-senate-race-gives-gun-owners-a-clear-choice\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Republican challenger Joe O&#8217;Dea speaks during a televised debate with Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski) Colorado\u2019s two contenders for the U.S. Senate\u00a0faced off in a second debate that included Democratic Sen. Michael Bennett and Republican challenger Joe O\u2019Dea answering questions from moderators about gun rights and gun control. The first debate didn\u2019t [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":502,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=501"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/501\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}