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the logical inference is that Kilgore doesn't want to take a strong postion on any particular gun rights issue.

Most Illogical, Captain

From the Kilgore Website on yesterday's endorsement by the NRA.

"I have spent my life guarding Virginians' right to bear arms and standing up for the traditions that make Virginia such a great place to call home," Kilgore said. "I grew up in far Southwest Virginia, on a farm just outside Gate City. I grew up around guns, and was taught at a young age how to properly treat a gun and the importance of ensuring our families are safe. So protecting the Second Amendment is not just some issue I stumbled upon in an election year. It is how I was raised, and it is who I am."

Jerry Kilgore didn't have to change his mind on this issue. He's been there all along.

This isn't about his stance on the issues. It's about a small, but vocal, single issue group po'd cause the big guys (NRA) got noticed and they (you) didn't.

If you really think this calls into question Kilgore's 2nd Amendment stance you are either 1) not paying attention 2) deceiving yourself.

If he is so great on guns why won't he answer the VCDL survey?

Is this just a Republican bias against working with "single issue non-partisan groups"?

I would love to belive that because NRA gave someone an A rating and an endorsement that we would have our gun rights back.

This analysis from 2001 is a bit dated but can give some insight into relationship between NRA ratings and gun votes in Virginia General Assembly

http://www.vcdl.org/new/dvr2001analysis.htm

I'm sure both Kilgore support the Secondment Amendment - my concern is will he support pro-gun legislation.

Here are the questions in the survey:

http://www.vcdl.org/new/

At this point it appears Kilgore will accept an NRA endorsement and give lip service to the 2nd amendment but it doesn't look like he will work with VCDL - the group that has pushed almost every pro-gun effort in the state since 1994.

Corin,

nvcdl just happens to be the founding president of the now VCDL. I would say that he knows Philip VanCleave pretty well. While I am disappointed with Jerry Kilgore's attitude toward the VCDL, I still intend to vote for him. I am not of the mindset to throw away my vote.

On the other hand, I do not think that it is correct to assume that the VCDL members (I am one) are jealous that the NRA got noticed and we didn't. I believe the NRA (I am a Life Member) has been quietly attempting to marginalize the VCDL for several years now. The NRA opposed the VCDL on Airport and Restaurant carry, and is willing to accept restrictions on our Second Ammendment Rights that the VCDL is not. While the NRA is active nationally, and is selectively effective on national gun legislation, only when they have to be (their recent lawsuit against the state of Louisianna was the result of pressure by the membership), the VCDL is proactive in trying to restore the local and statewide recognition of those rights.

The VCDL has helped to author most, if not all, of the pro-gun legislation that has been through the GA for the last 11 years. We are also attempting to restore recognition of the Second Ammendment rights of all Americans when it comes to carrying weapons in our National Parks. Every state gun-rights organization in America looks to the VCDL as the model for grassroots pro-gun activism, and most have attempted to emulate us, and their successes are are beginning to be evident. If anything the NRA is jealous of VCDL's successes and is attempting to marginalize us to ensure their own survival. People nationwide are beginning to come to the realization that the NRA is nothing more than a fund raising organization that in many cases just gives lip service or tokenism to state level gun legislation. As a result the organization's roles have shrunk from near 5 million in 2001 to near 4 million today.

From the article:
"Philip is more than just a little bit credible," said Steve Clifford, a car dealer from Woodbridge, Va. "The NRA really hasn't done half of the things in Virginia that Philip Van Cleave has. He walks the halls in Richmond and actually gets stuff done. That makes him more than credible on the state and local issues."