This weekend, I attended a pro-gun rally at the Connecticut State Capitol to make sure that the voice of a majority of Connecticut voters was heard. With over 60% of Connecticut voters supporting the reasonable gun control law that passed last year, I wasn’t about to let those at the rally pretend we didn’t exist. Conversations I had at that rally reflect what I’ve always believed (and polling data confirms): the National Rifle Association is wildly out of touch with the people of Connecticut, and even its own membership. So my sign – NRA Values are not Connecticut Values – didn’t feel too out of place. A conversation with one pro-gun activist was particularly illuminating. “I don’t even like the NRA,” she said. “They’re too extreme. They don’t speak for me.” Someone who cares enough about gun rights to attend this rally called the NRA too extreme, and she’s absolutely right. We discussed background checks, limits on high-capacity magazines, and other compromises that both sides can agree on.
I left that conversation confident that we can all work together to reduce gun violence and make our communities safer. It also made it clear that those who opposed last year’s legislation are the most extreme opponents of any regulation. I am more horrified today at the record of my opponent – a member of the Democratic leadership in Connecticut’s legislature – than ever before. Representative Linda Orange didn’t just vote against SB 1160. In 2007, she voted against legislation requiring that owners report lost or stolen firearms: a key tool in the fight against illegal gun trafficking. She has staked out positions too extreme for the Democratic Party and the people of her district. In fact, she’s too extreme even for many gun owners and second amendment activists.
While there was no shortage of offensive signs and rhetoric, the rally ended without incident. People were respectful, sincere, and even appreciated the opportunity to have a friendly debate about gun violence. But when I got home, I realized just how ugly and personal the attacks could get. It turns out that when I posted a photo from the rally to my campaign’s Facebook page, Connecticut Carry, a pro-gun 501(c)(4), encouraged their supporters to visit the page and, in their words, “let this guy know why you will never support him. https://www.facebook.com/...
What they did was unleash hundreds of comments that had little to do with public policy. Many just seemed to find my campaign’s Facebook page to be an appropriate outlet for hate speech and, of course, threats of violence. The reactions were similar when I was briefly included in WTNH News 8’s coverage of the rally. If you want to go through the mud it is Here, but you all know the gist: racism,sexism,homophobia. When you run office, you need to have thick skin. But this is not what I expected in a Democratic primary. Sadly, it’s the direction my opponent’s allies have decided to take the campaign. After Saturday’s rally and the response, I spent some time knocking on doors. The Democrats in Connecticut’s 48th District responded the way they have throughout this campaign: excited about our positive vision and disappointed in the representation we’ve been getting. They are ready to send a loud and clear message that the tactics and values of the NRA are not welcome in our party. And when we win, I’m looking forward to working with responsible gun owners who want our communities to be safer.