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Halvorson hedges on guns

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* Former US Rep. Debbie Halvorson is hedging a bit about her gun record…

While Halvorson has recently said she would not support a ban on assault weapons, she said she would be open to toughening laws against straw purchasers, changes in background checks as well as boosting accuracy of weapon-owner databases. […]

“It was my NRA rating when I represented a rural district, with no Cook County, representing all rural, no Cook County,” she said of her district before a congressional remap changed boundaries. The Second Congressional district stretches into Cook, Will and Kankakee counties. “I did have an A rating, as did Toi Hutchinson. Since then, I haven’t even filled out an NRA questionnaire, I didn’t now.” […]

Cook County already has an assault weapons ban. If I were Toni Preckwinkle, I would be embarrassed, too. If I were Toni Preckwinkle, I would try to change the subject also. It’s a shame she’s trying to change the subject. I don’t think it’s her fault, but I do think it’s hypocritical of her to try to blame me, she’s the Cook County Board President, why aren’t they talking about what they can do to reduce crime instead of saying we need a national ban on assault weapons and Debbie Halvorson isn’t doing enough about it.”

* Meanwhile, we’ll have live coverage of tonight’s 2nd Congressional District debate at 6:30. It’s being televised on cable access. Click here for the live link if you want to bookmark it.

All the candidates were invited, except for Mel Reynolds, Greg Hinz reports…

“It’s being held at a high school,” quipped event organizer Wendell Mosby, in a not-too-subtle reference to Mr. Reynolds’ conviction on charges of receiving child pornography and having sex with a minor.

That would be our quote of the week.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 11:14 am

Comments

This is reminding me a bit of the cattle call to replace Rahm, the DePaul mass forum in 2009. In my opinion John Fritchey “won” that debate, but Quigley committed no errors and did respectably. If there’s no mass attack on Halvorson and she doesn’t, err, shoot herself in the foot, I gotta think this event won’t change her poll status as narrow front runner based on name recognition.

Comment by ZC Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 11:30 am
“In other news tonight former Congressman Reynolds was spotted driving an ice cream truck outside of the debate.”

Comment by Boone's is Back Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 11:33 am
I’m seeing a pattern here:

The two candidates who have done the grown-up thing and polled do defensive, poll tested things.

Debbie Halvorson yells and flails and generally makes a fool of herself.

Debbie Halvorson reconsiders, thinks, sobers up etc and says something approximating what one of the grown-up candidates already did.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

Comment by Will Caskey Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 11:41 am
Nothing matters, only if the people personally like you.

Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 11:47 am
Does Reynolds still have to register? I’m just wondering what the implications would be if he did win. Every time I have been to the Capitol, there have always been lots of school age children around, on tours and serving as pages.

Comment by grand old partisan Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 11:55 am
I think that is a pretty good response from Debbie Halvorson surprisingly.

Comment by siriusly Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 12:09 pm
I think issue is so far away from the people of the 2nd District. The guns are already in the community. Jobs are what people want and need. You want to stop the crime? Bring more jobs. This is why people get so frustrated with politics! They know what the real issues are, don’t make it guns because of a school shooting, or because it sells in other places. Further, I still don’t know how Robin Kelly puts out 4 mailers focused on anti gun laws, calls out the other candidates about their NRA rating, and then accepts an endorsement from Donnie Trotter?!!?!! I mean that’s exactly like someone talking about sexual predator laws and taking an endorsement from Mel Reynolds!

Comment by ChicagoModerate Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 12:21 pm
Mel should take a page from Scott Lee Cohen’s campaign strategy. You appeared, made some noise. Now go away.

Comment by dupage dan Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 12:28 pm
well, it’s obvious that ChicagoModerate doesn’t live in the district (or the reason that the other candidates wanted trotter’s endorsement would be really obvious)…

Comment by bored now Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 12:42 pm
@Borednow I do live in the district, have all my life. And I do see why they want the endorsement. But if she’s going to focus on gun control as she has with every mailer she has put out, why would Robin want it publicly?

Comment by ChicagoModerate Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 12:46 pm
turnout, turnout, turnout. at the debate and at the polls.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 12:56 pm
If nothing else, it shows, again, that when a super-pac goes negative on you, it can drive the discourse.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 1:55 pm
chicagomod: people’s position on gun control is really the only thing that differentiates that candidates. they can’t very well pretend that they’re different on consumer fraud protection, economic development, or protecting victims of domestic violence (if they are honest). so you talk about the things that differentiate you.

you may not accept trotter’s reasons, but no serious candidate is going to dismiss another (ex-) serious candidate’s excuse that he had a gun for the purpose of acting in a security capacity. robin isn’t arguing that we should disarm security workers…

Comment by bored now Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 2:32 pm
===…when a super-pac goes negative on you, it can drive the discourse.===

…Or, at least, when it goes negative on you, particularly in a tight race like the 2nd CD, you certainly can’t ignore it and it’d be wisest not to. It sure oughta be a doozy of a debate tonight–the gloves’ll just be waiting to be brought out…!

Comment by Just The Way It Is One Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 3:10 pm
Um, rural? She represented Joliet and Kankakee. Communities that confront gun violence. And what about her years of representing suburban Cook in the state legislature? Her record is her record.

Comment by anon Wednesday, Jan 30, 13 @ 3:16 pm