Federal Election Highlights

Since we’ve been focusing on state news lately, here are headlines that Pennsylvania gun owners should be watching in the federal races across the Keystone State:

• A rated Congressman Bill Shuster may be facing a new opponent in November. No Democrat filed to run in time for the May 18 primary, so now one man is waging a write-in campaign to be included in the general election.
• $10 for Liberty candidate Congressman Charlie Dent is showing some early signs of success over his opponent who is working with NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg to shut down gun shows.  Gun owners can’t afford to fall asleep at the wheel, though.  This seat is being targeted by the White House to flip over to anti-gun.
• Charlie Cook has reclassified PA-12 as leaning Republican after recent polling data about voter enthusiasm was released.  With either candidate in the special election, gun owners win since both scored As on their NRA questionnaires.
• NRA has released select endorsements for the primary elections in May.
• Pennsylvania has lost more Congressional seats than any other state from its peak representation.  We have lost a seat for a record number of apportionment count cycles – 8, and that will grow to 9 after this year’s Census is completed.  This makes a big difference in our state elections because the legislature and governor will be charged with passing the redistricting legislation that could severely impact how gun owners fare at the federal level.