My research on the second amendment position for my candidates in the election next week.
As usual, I've gone to the NRA web site to determine the scorecard for my candidates this upcoming election. Unfortunately, there are very few races covered by the NRA for this election.
Here is my ballot for this election:
http://www.alabamavotes.gov/downloads/election/2012/general/sampleBallots/madison-2012-sample.pdf
Here is what I have found. Sadly, for the overwhelming number of positions, there is no Democratic candidate.
NRA RATINGS
("?" means the candidate "refused to answer the NRA-PVF Candidate Questionnaire, often an indication of indifference, if not outright hostility, to gun owners' and sportsmen's rights."
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Barack Obama (D) - grade F
Mitt Romney (R) - NRA Endorsed candidate
UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE
5TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Charlie L. Holley (D) - ? -
Mo Brooks (R) - NRA Endorsed Candidate, grade A
The above are all of my candidates that are covered by the NRA grading this election.
VOTE-SMART.ORG RATINGS AND GOOGLE SEARCHES
So I have gone to http://www.vote-smart.org to find out more information about their positions on guns, particularly this researched position:
Guns: Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? (yes/no)
And I have also used Google to try and determine the candidate's position on gun control.
PRESIDENT
Barack Obama (D) - Yes
support ban the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
support increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
support require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks with firearms.
Mitt Romney (R) - No
UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE
5TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Charlie L. Holley (D) - Unknown position (refused to answer Vote-Smart position survey). Google indicates no position information.
Mo Brooks (R) - No. Google indicates extremely pro-gun.
CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT
Rob Vance (D) - No Vote-Smart info, but Google indicates no position information.
Roy Moore (R) - No Vote-Smart info, but Google indicates he is very pro-gun.
CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE,
23RD JUDICIAL CIRCUIT,
PLACE NO. 6
Martha Lynn Sherrod (D) – No Vote-Smart info, Google indicates no position information.
Chris Comer (R) – No Vote-Smart info, Google indicates he visits knife and gun shows.
PRESIDENT, PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
Lucy Baxley (D) – No Vote-Smart info, Google indicates no position information.
Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh (R) – No Vote-Smart info, Google indicates no position information.
MADISON COUNTY JUDGE OF PROBATE
Tommy Ragland (D) - No Vote-Smart info, Google indicates no position information.
Patty Demos (R) – No Vote-Smart info, Google indicates no position information.
MEMBER, MADISON COUNTY COMMISSION
DISCTRICT NO. 1
Roger Jones (D) - No Vote-Smart info, Google indicates no position information.
Tim McNeese (R) - No Vote-Smart info, Google indicates no position information.
MEMBER, MADISON COUNTY COMMISSION
DISTRICT NO. 3
Jeff Cooper (D) - No Vote-Smart info, Google indicates no position information.
Eddie Sisk (R) -No Vote-Smart info, Google indicates no position information.
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It's disappointing, and a stark contrast from the 2010 elections, that not a single Democrat has high marks from the NRA.. On top of this, Googling reveals no mention of gun control for any Democratic candidate under the level of the President. In fact, Google reveals no mention of gun control for any candidate under the level of House of Representatives.
For my House of Representatives candidate, Charlie L. Holley, his web site makes absolutely no mention of gun control.
What I infer from this is that in this election cycle, candidates are very carefully avoiding the gun control issue.
What this means for me personally is that I will be unable to use gun rights positions as a litmus test for choosing candidates this year. I'm a little nervous on this because I would rather vote for a pro-gun Democrat than a silent-on-the-issue Democrat.
However, I will be voting for Democrats for all offices in which a Democrat is running except for the position of the Probate Judge. In Madison county, the Probate Judge is not required to be an attorney, and if he/she is not, like the current Democratic incumbent, than the Probate cases have to be tried in Circuit Court, which overloads the Circuit Court and delays judgements in Probate cases. Patty Demos is a Republican, but she is an attorney with 20 years of experience and will thus be able to try cases in Probate Court. Additionally, the Probate judge gets taxpayer-funded legal advice. A non-attorney is going to require more of this (and thus more expense) than an attorney. I think these are very important points and as a result I will vote Republican for this office.
Obviously I will be voting for Barack Obama regardless of his position on firearms. I am unhappy with his endorsement of a new assault weapons ban and a hint at regulations on handguns but it is critical that we push control of this country away from the one-percenters.
EDIT TO ADD:
Looking through all of the candidate listings (not just my district) for Democrats is disappointing:
http://www.nrapvf.org/grades-endorsements/2012/Alabama.aspx
Most Democratic candidates refused to answer the NRA-PVF questionnaire, which to me is damning of their second amendment position. The two Democratic candidates who did have grades only mustered a C rating.
= new reply since forum marked as read
"support ban the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons"?
That's completely at odds with everything he's said or done... 
