From Rep. Scott Perry:

“It is a great day for Pennsylvania. I am grateful to Governor Corbett for signing the original Castle Doctrine into law. This will enable law-abiding citizens in our Commonwealth to defend themselves in the face of violent attack. There are many people who worked very hard over the past few years to make this bill become the law of the land.

“Our citizens who work hard and abide by the rules of decent society deserve the protection of the law. They deserve our best effort, and it is gratifying that both chambers of the General Assembly and the governor agree with this. The bill enjoyed wide bipartisan support during the process of passage and I am grateful to all who backed this effort.”

From Rep. Seth Grove:

“Governor Tom Corbett’s signature on legislation that will allow law-abiding citizens to protect themselves is a victory for the people. The new law removes the duty to retreat and allows Pennsylvanians to stand their ground and fight off an attacker. This measure will allow an individual to take whatever action may be necessary to preserve his or her life and protect the safety of loved ones when legitimately threatened.

“This is one of the most popular proposals among York County residents. I have heard from so many people who are fed up with laws that protect criminals and ignore the rights of victims. The new law will provide civil lawsuit protection for those citizens who genuinely act in self defense and will hinder the attempts of criminals to seek jury awards for injuries they receive in the perpetration of a crime.

“I applaud Representative Scott Perry and all my colleagues in the House who came together to make this proposal a reality. It was a great blow to our civil rights when former Governor Ed Rendell vetoed this legislation last year, but Governor Corbett’s signature today goes to show that nothing can stand in the way of good policy.”

Rep. Grove also gave a live Facebook update while he was at the ceremony.

Rep. Stephen Bloom joined the live updates on his Facebook page, and he shared a picture of himself with several other lawmakers, NRA lobbyist John Hohenwarter, and Gov. Tom Corbett.

Rep. Keith Gillespie posted a similar picture with a number of House supporters of the bill and added this comment:

As one who would do all in my power to avoid taking someone else’s life but would protect my family to the death if necessary, I support House Bill 40, the Castle Doctine legislation. I was proud to today be in the company of Gov. Corbett as he signed the legislation into law.

Posting the same picture as Rep. Gillespie, Rep. Ron Miller added his comment:

As one of the cosponsors of House Bill 40, I was pleased to have been in attendance today as Gov. Corbett signed into law the Castle Doctrine legislation. 

Rep. John Evans also posted his comments on the bill from the signing:

The governor has signed the Castle Doctrine, which helps strengthen our right to using self-defense in the face of imminent danger. This is an important measure that we have been fighting for in the House for a long time. 

On the Senate side, a Democratic staffer tweeted this picture of two Senate supporters from the bill signing:

The NRA-ILA talked to Castle Doctrine sponsors and just released this announcement minutes after the bill was signed by Gov. Tom Corbett:

Governor Tom Corbett has signed Pennsylvania Castle Doctrine legislation into law. This common-sense measure permits law-abiding citizens to use force, including deadly force, against an attacker in their home and any place where they have a legal right to be. It also protects individuals from civil lawsuits by an attacker or attacker’s family when force is used.

“Gov. Corbett and Pennsylvania lawmakers know that law-abiding citizens must have the right to protect themselves when criminals attack without fear of being second-guessed by an overzealous prosecutor,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director, National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action. “Crime victims don’t have the luxury of time when confronted by a criminal and must be able to count on the law being on their side. This new law accomplishes that by removing any mandate of forcible retreat.”

The NRA has led the nationwide movement to pass Castle Doctrine legislation, beginning with Florida in 2005. Pennsylvania is the 27th state to adopt this important measure with overwhelming bipartisan support. House Bill 40, sponsored by Rep. Scott Perry (R-92), passed by a 164 to 37 margin. Richard Alloway, II (R-33), sponsored the companion bill to HB 40, Senate Bill 273, which passed 43-4.

“I am very gratified that Governor Corbett has signed this legislation into law, correcting the grievous error made by the previous administration in denying these long-sought protections to our citizens,” said Rep. Perry. “There are many people who have worked hard to get this legislation to this point, and I am grateful to my House and Senate colleagues and to the National Rifle Association for their support. The time has finally come to return common sense and good judgment to state government, and this legislation is a step in that direction. A criminal should never have an advantage over a citizen who abides by the rules of decent society, and today, we finally achieved the goal of returning the right of self-defense to the law-abiding.”

“Law-abiding gun owners should not have to fear prosecution for acting to prevent a violent crime,” said Sen. Alloway, who introduced Castle Doctrine legislation that was approved by the Senate in March. “I am thankful that the General Assembly has taken action to protect responsible gun owners who respond when facing a serious threat from a criminal. I would also like to thank the NRA for their strong leadership and hard work on this effort as it moved through the legislative process.”

“On behalf of NRA members and all gun owners in Pennsylvania, I would like to thank Rep. Perry; Sen. Alloway; and Gov. Corbett for their leadership in helping make Castle Doctrine a reality for Pennsylvanians,” concluded Cox. “This Castle Doctrine bill places the law on the side of law-abiding gun owners who unfortunately become victims of crime – exactly where the law should be.”

Last year’s battle had several hurdles that we had to jump before Castle Doctrine was sent to the Governor’s desk. In the Senate, we had time constraints because the House waited so long to act. As the clock ticked down to the close of the legislative session, support from expected allies began to fall away as poison pill amendments were drafted by opponents of the self defense reform package. Here is the summary from NRA lobbyist John Hohenwarter in an interview with another blog last fall:

The bill was passed by the House on October 5th and sent to the Senate where it was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Now the stage was set for a battle in the Senate and it was time to turn up the heat.

With only three days left on the Senate schedule, there were now two options available. Our office decided that the first option would be to pursue a Committee vote on HB40 and send a clean bill to the Governor’s Office. However, this option had to occur on Tuesday, October 12th of the following week because of Constitution provisions that require a bill to be considered on three different days before being voted on the floor.

NRA was assured by Republican leadership that a vote would occur in committee on Tuesday to allow a sufficient time period for legislative consideration. However, amendments were now being drafted and efforts were underway to amend HB40 in committee with anti-gun/anti-hunting provisions. In addition, Republican support to kill the amendments in committee continued to dwindle throughout the day, which created a rift among Republican members.

At the time, Republican leaders who were not on the committee opted to pursue another strategy to pass Castle Doctrine by inserting the bill language as an amendment to another crime bill. By using this path to passage, Castle Doctrine would have a vote on the Senate floor instead of coming through a committee first – a move that ensured a clean bill. Opponents of Castle Doctrine did manage to draft language for one anti-gun amendment in time for a floor vote on the Castle Doctrine package, and it was voted down by the full Senate.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is still a potential stumbling block if gun owners don’t get involved in this debate. Senators Stewart Greenleaf and Mary Jo White are leaders of the committee, and supported the anti-gun amendment that made it to the Senate floor last year. With their support, anti-gun amendments could be attempted in committee again (and likely will be presented for discussion from anti-gun Sen. Daylin Leach). Another member of the Judiciary Committee is Sen. Vincent Hughes. We captured some of his remarks on the right to self-defense bill from last year’s debate:

In fact, based on last year’s vote to weigh Castle Doctrine down with anti-gun language, the vote of current members on the committee would likely be split. With action so early in the legislative session, gun owners should have enough time to make sure that their senators support a clean bill. However, if they don’t hear from us in Harrisburg, then our opportunity may be wasted.

Tomorrow’s step to pass Castle Doctrine is just the first of many we’ll have to take this session. As efforts to call a vote proceed, we’ll make sure to keep gun owners alerted so they can get their final phone calls in to members of the Committee & their local lawmakers.

Rob Ciervo HAS been endorsed by the NRA Political Victory Fund, and his opponent decided to vote against gun owners & self-defense advocates on every single vote of his (hopefully) short legislative career. He is running to represent Newtown, Yardley, Lower Makefield & parts of Upper Makefield in State House District 31. Incumbent Rep. Santarsiero’s grade is now a D, and he has run to anti-gun groups seeking their support for his campaign. Gun owners in and around this area can support Rob Ciervo’s campaign by visiting his website.

Tommy Tomlinson running for re-election to Senate District 6 is now rated B+ and is NOT endorsed by the NRA Political Victory Fund. His recent vote to restrict the reciprocity agreements of concealed carry license holders was an unexpected vote against gun owners in Southeast Pennsylvania. If you’d like to contact Sen. Tomlinson and ask him why he voted against sportsmen in his district, his office number is (717) 787-5072 and his email address is rtomlinson@pasen.gov.

Here are all of the endorsed candidates on ballots in Bucks County & the rest of Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional district:

Federal
US Senate – Pat Toomey
Congress – Mike Fitzpatrick

State
Governor – Tom Corbett

State House

• Marguerite Quinn
• Frank Farry
• Rob Ciervo
• Paul Clymer
• Gene DiGirolamo

State Senate

• Chuck McIlhinney

Lt. Governor – Democratic Nomination
It’s still a nail biter – and there will likely be ballot challenges in some ares – but early results show that State Rep. Scott Conklin has come out of no where as a late entry to the race to possibly topple the state party endorsed candidate out of Philadelphia, Jonathan Saidel. In his last election to the state House, Rep. Conklin had an A rating from NRA and earned their endorsement. With 99.2% of precincts reporting at about 9am, Conklin leads by 4,654 votes. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the lead grows as the final votes come in.

Senate District 14 – Democratic Nomination
NRA endorsed State Rep. John Yudichak had a commanding victory over anti-gun mayor Tom Leighton. This seat is likely to remain in Democratic hands, as it has been for decades, so the Democratic primary was essentially the election to watch. Leighton is a member of Michael Bloomberg’s anti-gun coalition calling for an end to gun shows in Pennsylvania. We congratulate Senator-elect Yudichak for his decisive victory.

Governor – Republican Nomination
Either of the candidates in the Republican primary would have been great for gun owners. They both had strong records of defending the Second Amendment, and we’re very proud to see Attorney General Tom Corbett carrying the banner into November. Of course, we also regret that the State Rep. Sam Rohrer will be departing the State House since he opted not to run for his local seat during the primary. Hopefully his replacement in the seat will be as worthy of the support of gun owners as Rep. Rohrer has been over the years.

Senate District 22 – Democratic Nomination
This is a mixed bag election for gun owners. On one hand, the NRA backed candidate – State Rep. Jim Wansacz – did not make the final cut for November. On the other hand, the extreme anti-gun Mayor of Scranton did not survive either. A dark horse candidate won the race, and we hope to find out more about his position on guns rights in the future. This is his first elected office, and he was backed by the retiring pro-gun Senator for this open seat. For anti-gun Chris Doherty, this is his second setback in a few months after his campaign for governor floundered. Calling in the big guns, the anti-gun leader brought in Bill Clinton to record phone calls for him, though it did no good.

Overall, we’re sending a great message to Harrisburg: Your anti-gun candidates will not survive the electoral games this year. It doesn’t matter if you have the backing of Michael Bloomberg and his ally Bill Clinton, NRA members will make sure your race goes down in defeat.

Now comes the harder part where we step in for the final months to turn out the vote in November. We need your help to make sure Harrisburg and Washington are filled with pro-rights supporters.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Senate District 24
Bob Mensch

• Twitter – @menschforsenate
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Senate District 6
Bryan Allen

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House District 31
Rob Ciervo

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Steve Santarsiero

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House District 141
Joe Hogan

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Kevin Glasson

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Tina Davis

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District 141
Frank Farry

• Twitter – @frankfarry2010
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House District 146
Mark Painter

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House District 147
Marcy Toepel

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House District 148
Matt Maguire

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House District 151
Todd Stephens

• Twitter – @Stephens4Rep
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House District 152
Tom Murt

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House District 153
Tom Bogar

• Twitter – @tombogar
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Josh Shapiro

• Twitter – @Josh_Shapiro
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House District 154
Mary Beth Carroll

• Twitter – @marybethcarroll
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House District 169
Dennis O’Brien

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House District 170
Marc Collazzo

• Twitter – @MarcCollazzo

House District 172
Daniel Collins

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Tim Kearney

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Kevin Boyle

• Twitter – @Boylefor172
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House District 175
Daryl LaFountain

• Twitter – @FriendsofDaryl

However, the anti-gun crowd is in such desperate shape that they do have to give out points for even acknowledging their existence.

After sportsmen flooded the Capitol yesterday with hundreds of activists, the anti-gun crowd was feeling a little left out of the limelight. So today they organized a conference call to issue grades for the gubernatorial candidates.

Democrats:

• Joe Hoeffel: A
• Anthony Williams: A-
• Dan Onorato: B+
• Jack Wagner: C+

Republicans:

• Sam Rohrer: D
• Tom Corbett: F

According to the Allentown Morning Call‘s John Micek, the group gave credit to Representative Sam Rohrer because he was willing to acknowledge their existence by taking time to complete their questionnaire and return it. Attorney General Tom Corbett, on the other hand, ignored them.

We will feature more information from the CeaseFire questionnaire this week.  Their responses may surprise you if you haven’t been following the race closely.

As the EVCs for PA-8 & PA-13, we paired up to hit many of the shared districts around Montgomery & Bucks Counties. Though we did not have time to visit every legislative office in the area, we did have productive meetings with Representatives Frank Farry, Bob Godshall, and Marguerite Quinn. We also had the opportunity to meet with Senator Bob Mensch, and the staff of Senator Chuck McIlhinney.

[Comment From Adam Z]
Hello, Could you please state your stance on Gun Owners Rights? For example, there is a current piece of legislation in the PA House – HB 40. Here is a summary of the bill, as a reference point…”Short Title: An Act amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing, in general principles of justification, for definitions, for use of force in self-protection, for use of force for the protection of other persons and for licenses to carry firearms; providing for civil immunity for use of force; and further providing for sentences for offenses committed with firearms. ” In other words, this is a type of “Castle Doctrine” legislation where someone would be protected legally if they were defending themselves not only in their homes, but also out in public. This legislation would stipulate that the person defending themselves could not be the agitator or instigator of said event and also not engaged in any type of illegal activity. Also, it would protect individuals in civil court from being sued from families of criminals during the process of roberry or some sort of criminal acitivity. Could you please explain your stance on this piece of proposed legislation and your opinion on rights of Gun Owners in general?

Anthony Hardy Williams: I fully respect those who adhere to the Second Amendment. It is one of our many birthrights as Americans. However, I do not support House Bill 40. We have laws on the books that allow you to protect yourself in your home and outside your home currently. Police officers across the Commonwealth have openly opposed this type of legislation and said that it doesn’t make any individual or community safer. In fact, it erodes the quality of life in such communities.

Most of Pennsylvania is quite happy with the quality of life they enjoy compared to Philadelphia’s crime problems. As the source of most of the Commonwealth’s criminal activity, many gun owners would like the be secure in their right to defend themselves.

In addition, Williams was asked to comment on municipalities who violate state law by passing local gun control. NRA has sued the city of Pittsburgh for their violation of state law and the Supreme Court decision in Ortiz v. Commonwealth.

[Comment From scott]
In PGH, the NRA is suing the city for requiring people to report lost or stolen guns within 24 hours. They say it requires an inventory. The suit got tossed on technical grounds (no standing) and now the NRA is appealing.Where do you stand on this issue?

Anthony Hardy Williams: Scott, I am a candidate in this race that recognizes that Pennsylvania is the No. 1 state for homicides among young African-American men, as a consequence of guns. For those who are not concerned about that, they should be concerned about commerce being able to operate effectively in Pittsburgh or as a visitor to the city, visiting the arts community on a night out, or an athletic event, or being outsides, as matters of safety. So it would seem that the NRA’s position on this is contrary to the Pittsburgh and Allegheny County’s larger interests of an ability to have a flourishing, commerce and a safer community.

I created an illegal gun task force in Philadelphia County, which has removed thousands of weapons from the streets and arrested hundreds of people. Pittsburgh deserves one and needs one from the next governor. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and other communities affected by illegal gun trafficking should be supported by reasonable gun legislation such as New York State’s.

As we reported in the fall, 56% of Pennsylvanians oppose overturning this decision because it would mean a heap of differing gun laws in each township and boro across the Commonwealth. However, Sen. Williams has been on the record supporting such a change. It would mean Philadelphia could ban lawful concealed carry, Pittsburgh could ban the guns you use to hunt, and your local town could write transportation laws which would make traveling to the gun club unbearable.

However, considering Sen. Williams considers New York as a great model for gun control, gun owners should be concerned.

Finally, another commenter questioned the strategy of using gun control as an issue outside of Philadelphia:

[Comment From Bruce]
I have a question regarding your media strategy. You are running ads in the western part of the state talking about taking our guns. Do you think this is a good strategy and if so why?

Anthony Hardy Williams: Bruce, I don’t run any ads talking about taking guns away from anyone who LEGALLY owns a gun. But if you are an illegal gun owner, or distributor, you need to go run and hide.

Actually, Sen. Williams went on the record recently demanding that Philadelphia should have the right to revoke the Second Amendment on a discretionary basis for any resident of their city. He also calls for local communities to have the power to ban lawful carry and ownership within their borders. It really sounds like LEGAL gun owners might also want to run and hide from his campaign.

Today, Micek continues talking to the Democratic candidates with Senator Tony Williams. He has previously hosted Auditor General Jack Wagner, Joe Hoeffel and Republican candidate Representative Sam Rohrer.

Williams has targeted gun rights in his first commercial buy – pledging to end state preemption that makes sure we have clear, uniform gun laws across the state.

If you plan to submit any questions relevant to sportsmen, let us know on Twitter @PAGunRights.

Here is the press release touting the Senate resolution:

State Senator Richard A. Kasunic (D-Fayette/Somerset) today proposed Senate Resolution 300, calling for the Pennsylvania Game Commission to return to its past practice of holding separate doe and buck seasons.

“Over the last few years, many hunters approached me with one complaint, all of them are seeing fewer deer during season,” Kasunic said. “These hunters are deeply concerned with the Game Commission’s deer management plan and the decreasing population of deer throughout the Commonwealth.”

Kasunic said, a recent report showed that the state’s white tailed deer population dropped by 25 percent between 2005 and 2007. He said continuing the current management plan would only further reduce the herd.

“It is time for the Game Commission to listen to sportsmen in the field and ensure our wildlife resources — not only for this generation, but for future generations as well.”

“Hunting is a great Pennsylvania tradition,” Kasunic said. “The sport has a $4.8 billion annual economic impact. We need to take steps to protect the integrity of the sport by strengthening the deer herd.”

Kasunic said he hopes the resolution will send a message to the Game Commission members, ahead of their scheduled meeting next week, to put the knowledge and interests of sportsmen over the failed management theories currently in place.

The crossroads of politics and wildlife management is often one the provokes debate from many shareholders – biologists, hunters, wildlife watchers, and politicians eager to serve their constituents. Given that this is a resolution and has only recently been introduced, NRA has not published an opinion on the move at this time.

Senator Kasunic has previously been rated A+ by NRA and faces re-election this year.

Republicans
Tom Corbett

• Twitter: @CorbettForGov
• Facebook

Sam Rohrer

• Twitter: @samrohrer
• Facebook
• Flickr
• YouTube

Democrats
Joe Hoeffel

• Twitter: @joehoeffel
• Facebook
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• YouTube

Dan Onorato

• Twitter: @dan_onorato
• Facebook
• Flickr
• YouTube

Jack Wagner

• Twitter: @wagnergov2010
• Facebook
• Flickr
• YouTube

Anthony Williams

• Twitter: @williams4pagov
• Facebook

Our first video is from the January Progressive Summit where all of the Democratic candidates at the time endorsed various forms of gun control. Whether it is government control over how many guns you buy, making your carry permit worthless, or banning your favorite competition rifle, there’s a whole host of positions that will make the anti-gun crowd celebrate in this clip.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Since this debate, Chris Doherty dropped his flailing gubernatorial bid, and has instead decided he wants to make Harrisburg more anti-gun by filling the seat of A rated Senator Bob Mellow. His pro-gun challenger in the Democratic primary is A rated Rep. Jim Wansacz, our candidate of the week.

The gubernatorial race has also changed thanks to the entry of D rated Sen. Tony Williams. He knocked established candidate Joe Hoeffel out of the party endorsement race before he was even on the ballot. Needless to say, this has shaken things up in the campaign because the Southeast part of the state holds nearly half of the Democratic primary voters, which he and Hoeffel are expected to split.

We’ll have more videos in coming weeks from candidates who are talking about the Second Amendment.

UPDATE: Red Name = Removed from Ballot

Federal
3rd District – Kathy Dahlkemper
Erie area gun owners may wish to see this F rated incumbent kicked off the ballot this spring, but it seems highly unlikely. There will be busy GOP primary race, and the winner, with a quality campaign strategy, could knock off the Congresswoman who just barely won her seat in 2008 and has made highly controversial votes since taking office.

7th District – Teresa Touey, Gail Conner, Pat Meehan
In seeking this open seat, it is clear that Democratic candidate and F rated State Rep. Bryan Lentz would rather kick everyone out of the sandbox rather than play the game and let the voters decide. Spearheading a challenge to his fellow party members and the lone candidate across the aisle, Lentz clearly doesn’t want to take any risks in trying to win Rep. Joe Sestak’s seat in Congress.

13th District – Josh Quinter, Brian Haughton, Dee Adcock
In Pennsylvania, challenges to candidates may only be made from members of their own party. That’s why it was a shock to find every single Republican challenged by the same people in the 13th District. After the press called, challengers admitted they were recruited by Democratic incumbent Allyson Schwartz who doesn’t want to face a November race. Rumors have also swirled that Schwartz even contacted firefighter unions around the state and in Washington, DC to pressure former firefighter Brian Haughton off the ballot. As an F rated incumbent with dirty tricks as a campaign strategy, any change will be an improvement for both gun owners and even non-gun owners who simply consider themselves decent people.

17th District – Sheila Dow-Ford
Challenging A rated incumbent Rep. Tim Holden from the left, the signatures from Dow-Ford’s campaign are being challenged by a resident. Even if she remains on the ballot, it’s hard to see how this underdog candidate is competitive in the primary against the Congressman who has kept this seat against many odds. The real race to watch will be in the fall against the likely GOP candidate.

State
Senate District 14
This open seat held by retiring Senator Raphael Musto who maintained an A rating is going to be fierce in the Democratic primary which will likely determine the final winner of the seat. One candidate, Tom Leighton, is working with NYC Michael Bloomberg to bring NYC-style gun control to Pennsylvania. Another, is a solid defender of our rights and traditions – State Rep. John Yudichak. The third Democratic candidate, Michael Saporito is facing the petition challenge, and his presence or removal could make a huge impact in this race.

House District 172
Lining up challengers on both sides, B rated incumbent Rep. John Perzel, might have a rough year. However, a Democrat has challenged the candidacies of three of his opponents on the other side of the aisle – Daniel Collins, Tim Kearney, and Karen Rotondo. That leaves only one candidate, Kevin Boyle, as the only Democrat not challenged. In addition to the Democratic challenger, Republican John McDermott has had his petitions challenged.

Here’s a look a peek at how some of the challenges line up for races with pro-gun folks or other high-profile campaigns.

UPDATE: Red Name = Removed from Ballot

Federal
Senate – Joseph Vodvarka
Perhaps you haven’t heard of the longshot Democratic challenger to Sen. Arlen Specter and anti-gun Rep. Joe Sestak, well Sestak wants to make sure it stays that way. Sestak is challenging the names on the petition in order to clear any other hurdles in his quest to unseat the establishment-backed Specter this May.

1st District – Pia Varma
Though she does not yet have a grade from NRA, she has certainly made remarks in forums and online that indicate a strong support for the right to bear arms. If a typical challenge against an incumbent politician is an uphill battle, she will have to climb a mountain to unseat anti-gun Rep. Bob Brady. However, that fact doesn’t mean much in Philadelphia politics, and Rep. Brady’s supporters are challenging her petitions so he won’t have to share the ballot.

8th District – James Jones
Challenged by a supporter of a primary opponent, the concerns raised about quite of few of the signatures submitted by Jones would be enough to get him thrown off the ballot. With a 4-way GOP primary, the removal of any one candidate could make a difference in what is perceived to be primarily a race between former Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick and newcomer Gloria Carlineo.

State
Governor
In an unexpected move that sent chatter among the Democratic Party, Dan Onorato tried to have Joe Hoeffel tossed off the ballot by challenging his signatures. According to political reporters, Onorato did this to try and minimize the competition from the eastern part of the state. However, when he realized that with both Hoeffel and Sen. Tony Williams on the ballot, they could battle each other for the Philadelphia-area vote while he campaigns elsewhere, he withdrew the challenge.

Lt. Governor
There was an attempt to remove one of the nine GOP candidates running in the crowded field off the ballot. However, the complaint against Jean Craig Pepper has since been withdrawn. With so many names in this race, it is surprising more questions weren’t raised before the deadline to file challenges.

Senate District 4
It appears as though someone is trying to clear the Democratic field for incumbent anti-gun Sen. Leanna Washington in this district that spans the southern portion our region.

Senate District 22
Amid accusations that he did not properly disclose financial interests, anti-gun Scranton mayor Chris Doherty has been challenged by a voter. This is an important one to watch because Doherty has pledged to end state preemption for gun laws and limit the number of guns we may buy. Another Democratic name in the race, Charles Volpe, is being challenged based on his signatures. Meanwhile, there are no such challenges or accusations of shenanigans against Rep. Jim Wansacz who maintains an A rating.

House District 28
The only challenger to incumbent A rated Rep. Mike Turzai has had her petitions challenged by three voters. There are no reports as to the nature of their challenge.

House District 37
The surprise primary challenger to A rated Rep. Tom Creighton has been challenged for his qualifications, and it’s likely related to his status within the party whose nomination he is seeking. Candidate Barry McFarland was reported to have been a Democrat as recently as two months ago.

House District 38
C.L. Jabbour, a primary challenger to A rated Rep. Bill Kortz, faces a challenge to his place on the Democratic ballot this May, though it is not clear what about his qualifications is being challenged.

House District 45
A rated incumbent Rep. Nick Kotik is raising questions about the petitions of his Democratic primary challenger, Maribeth Taylor. There have been no reports on what inconsistencies he found with her signatures or qualifications, and he did not raise any concerns about the Republican candidate on the ballot.

House District 48
Two challenges have been filed in this race to replace retiring A+ rated Rep. Tim Solobay, one against a Republican and the other against a Democrat. It’s unclear what any of this means for gun owners in the district yet, other than potentially fewer choices on the ballot.

House District 49
A rated incumbent Rep. Peter Daley has allegedly found issues with the petitions filed by a potential Republican opponent. Though Rep. Daley will still face a primary challenge from another member of his party in May.

House District 131
Two voters in the district represented by A- rated Rep. Karen Beyer have challenged the petitions of a Democratic candidate running in the race on the basis of residency. While tax records show that candidate Mike Horton owns property in the district that he listed on his nominating petition, they assert that he actually resides at a different address outside of the district.

House District 147
In this open seat to replace now-Sen. Bob Mensch, the Democratic candidate’s petitions are being challenged by an area man. It is unclear what the challenge is in regards to – qualifications, disclosures, or signatures – but this has the potential to make it into a far less competitive race leaving only one GOP name on the ballot. Both candidates are unknowns on the issues important to gun owners.

First, a word about predictions and notes about how competitive seats are at this time. In politics, a week can make or break a campaign. We are more than nine weeks out from the May primary election and many, many weeks from the November election. There is a strong air of anti-incumbent attitude this year, and actions in Washington may only strengthen it. That will have an impact on down-ballot races. Don’t take anything in this post as the final word on any race, especially grades which may change before the final election. Contact us if you want to get involved with campaigns in your area. We will continue to post new information as it pertains to gun owners as we count down to the elections.

PA-13 – Montgomery County with parts Philadelphia County
incumbent
withdrew/removed from ballot

United State Congress
Democrats – Allyson Schwartz
Republicans – Dee Adcock, Brian Haughton, Josh Quinton

This seat is considered safe for Democrats according to many political analysts. However, there has been a spirited race to challenge incumbent Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz. A presumed frontrunner has already dropped out, and party leaders in the two counties in the district have endorsed two different candidates (Dee Adcock for Montgomery and Brian Haughton for Philadelphia). While gun owners were no doubt like to get the F rated Schwartz out of office, it would be an uphill battle for either candidate.

Pennsylvania Senate
District 4 – Abington, Jenkintown, Rockledge, Philadelphia
Democrats – Leanna Washington, Lamont Thomas

This district, which is primarily in Philadelphia, does not appear to be competitive. The F rated incumbent has held the office since 2005, and her challenger appears to have only run for lowers offices in Philadelphia with little success. With no Republicans on the ticket, it is likely that Senator Washington’s name will be the only one on the ballot in November.

District 12 – Ambler, Bryn Athyn, Hatboro, Hatfield (Borough & Township), Horsham, Lower Gwynedd, Lower Moreland, Montgomery, North Wales, Upper Dublin, Upper Gwynedd, Upper Moreland
Republican – Stewart Greenleaf
Democrat – Ruth Damsker

With a B rating, incumbent Senator Stewart Greenleaf is seeking another term for the seat he has held since 1979. His opponent, though never having held an office for which she would earn a grade, has run on a ticket of gun control with current gubernatorial candidate Joe Hoeffel. Her joint answer to a questionnaire by a business group when she was running for office in 2007 called for a limit on firearm purchases which would stop collectors from buying matched sets and possibly even involve the creation of a gun owner registry. Otherwise, her positions are short on details other than “state gun laws need tightening.” While Ruth Damsker has won a county office in the area before, there doesn’t appear to be much commentary on the competitiveness of this race just yet.

District 24 – Green Lane, Landsdale, Lower Frederick, Lower Salford, New Hanover, Towamencin, Upper Frederick, Upper Salford
Republican – Bob Mensch
Democrat – Bill Wallace

The incumbent, Senator Bob Mensch, only won this seat a short time ago in a special election. With his previous endorsement and A rating, Mensch will likely carry the support of gun owners again. His opponent, an art teacher, has no history on the Second Amendment. This seat has been in Republican hands for years, so it will likely be an uphill battle for Wallace.

District 44 – Schwenksville, Whitpain
Republican – John Rafferty

This A rated incumbent has no challengers on the ballot so far. While it’s worthwhile to note that all candidates without competition now may face some in November if an opponent launches a successful write-in campaign for the other party, the time lost on the campaign trail will put them at a disadvantage.

Pennsylvania House
District 53 – Hatfield (Borough & Township), Landsdale, Towamencin
Republican – Bob Godshall
Democrat – Jack Hansen

This is a re-match from 2008. With an A+ and endorsement, incumbent Rep. Bob Godshall is a great choice for gun owners considering his opponent refused to even answer questions for gun owners in the last cycle. Given that the last election results were a blow-out with Rep. Godshall in a 20-point win, it is unlikely that the current election cycle will be any more favorable to Jack Hansen.

District 61 – Lower Gwynedd, Montgomery, North Wales, Plymouth, Upper Gwynedd, Towamencin, Whitpain
Republican – Kate Harper
Democrat – Mary Lou Readinger

With a D- rating, the incumbent Rep. Kate Harper has maintained a pretty strong showing in her district, even during the last Democratic sweep. As a local councilwoman, her opponent has no previous grade on the issue. Based on past election results alone, it’s tough to see how this race will be competitive.

District 70 – Lower Salford, Towamencin
Democrat – Matt Bradford
Republican – Jay Moyer

Again, a re-match from 2008, but one that may prove perilous for the incumbent, Rep. Matt Bradford. In 2008, Bradford beat then freshman incumbent Jay Moyer by less than 900 votes. Since then, the political winds have changed substantially and that may be enough to shift those votes back to Moyer. With name recognition and a favorable political climate for the challenger, it’s tough to see how this won’t be a highly competitive race. Gun owners should know that Rep. Bradford has refused to respond to NRA’s questionnaire while former Rep. Moyer maintained a B rating and was previously endorsed.

District 146 – New Hanover
Republican – Thomas Quigly
Democrat – Mark Painter

As an A rated previously endorsed incumbent, Rep. Thomas Quigly should certainly have gun owners rallying around him in this race. In his last election, Rep. Quigly maintained a comfortable lead. His opponent is a local tax collector who has no history on our issue.

District 147 – Green Lane, Lower Frederick, New Hanover, Schwenksville, Upper Frederick, Upper Salford
Republican – Marcy Toepel
Democrat – Robert Dodge

This open seat could be interesting to watch, depending on the quality of the campaigns given that they will actually be running in 2 different elections on the same day. There is a special election on the same day as the primary to complete the term of previous Rep. Bob Mensch who held the seat comfortably in previous elections. The Democratic nominee for the special election & primary ballot has not held elected office before, abandoning a previous race after failing to even gather the minimum number of signatures required for ballot access. The early hunch is that the race may not be terribly competitive, but given the nature of the special election creating a new incumbent before November, the dynamics will be fierce in these first two months.

District 148 – Plymouth, Upper Dublin, Whitemarsh, Whitpain
Democrat – Mike Gerber
Republican – Matt Maguire

This is another re-match from 2008, though one that seems unlikely to flip since the incumbent won by 2-1 during the last race. Even with political tides turning, that’s an awful lot of votes to switch in order to win the seat from an incumbent who has held the seat since 2005. Gun owners may not have much at stake in this race since the incumbent is D rated and the opponent refused to return a questionnaire during the last cycle.

District 151 – Abington, Ambler, Horsham, Lower Gwynedd, Montgomery, Upper Dublin
Democrat – Rick Taylor
Republican – Todd Stephens

This is a re-match between two candidates who duked in out in 2008. Incumbent Rep. Rick Taylor has a D rating, and Todd Stephens never responded to NRA’s mailings. With a difference of 419 votes in favor of the Democrat in 2008, this could be the year the GOP takes back the seat it held before Taylor’s election in 2006. Based on the close vote margin in the last cycle that clearly favored his party, Rep. Taylor has reason to be nervous in this political environment.

District 152 – Bryn Athyn, Lower Moreland, Hatboro, Horsham, Philadelphia, Upper Dublin, Upper Moreland
Republican – Thomas Murt
Democrat – Robert McGuckin

Incumbent Rep. Thomas Murt holds a D rating, and has served the residents of the area since 2007 when he defeated a member of his own party who had establishment support. Little has been found on his opponent, so it is unlikely we will have any information on the race for gun owners until closer to the election.

District 153 – Abington, Upper Dublin
Democrat – Josh Shapiro
Republican – Tom Bogar

D rated incumbent Rep. Josh Shapiro is likely to keep his seat this time round, as he has won his last elections by solid margins – when he even had competition. On the other hand, candidate Tom Bogar is embracing new media to build a grassroots audience, so perhaps there’s more in store for this race than meets the eye. Since he’s a political newcomer, gun owners may have to wait to find out about Bogar’s policy views on our issues.

District 154 – Jenkintown, Philadelphia, Springfield
Democrat – Larry Curry
Republican – Mary Beth Carroll, Tom Bell

While it would be nice to oust F rated incumbent Rep. Larry Curry from the seat he has held since 1993, this is a district that doesn’t even reliably draw Republican challengers and has seen them defeated by upwards of 50 points. Regardless of the outcome of the GOP primary, this does not appear to be a competitive race.

District 169 – Philadelphia
Republican – Dennis O’Brien

This A rated incumbent has no challenger at this stage of the race, and it is unlikely that an opponent will emerge with enough backing to defeat the candidate who has held the seat since 1983.

District 170 – Philadelphia
Democrat – Brendan Boyle
Republican – Marc Collazzo

Incumbent Brendan Boyle has only been in office for one term, but he won the seat by double digits. He refused to answer the NRA questionnaire when he ran, so it is unclear what his position on the Second Amendment is at this time. His opponent has not been in a position to answer a questionnaire. While this seat was in GOP hands not long ago, it may be an uphill battle now.

District 172 – Philadelphia
Republican – Joseph Gaynor, John Perzel, John McDermott
Democrat – Kevin Boyle, Daniel Collins, Tim Kearney, Karen Rotondo

This is going to be a fascinating race to watch. It would normally be impossible to imagine an incumbent who has been in office since 1979 and served as Speaker of the House for three years to be in trouble. Unfortunately for gun owners, our B rated and previously endorsed friend, incumbent Rep. John Perzel, may be facing an unexpectedly challenging race this year. With charges pending related to using state resources for political work, it’s unclear how this may impact his re-election chances. Rep. Perzel has denied any wrongdoing, and he won in 2008 by more than 38 points over his closest challenger, Tim Kearney, in a three-way race.

District 173 – Philadelphia
Democrat – Mike McGeehan

This D rated incumbent has been in office since 1991. With no competition lined up this early, this election cycle should be a walk in the park for the Democratic lawmaker.

District 174 – Philadelphia
Democrat – John Sabatina

Though he has only been in office since 2006, D rated incumbent Rep. John Sabatina hasn’t attracted any competition for a while.

District 175 – Philadelphia
Democrat – Pete Fiorentino, Daryl La Fountain, Michael O’Brien
Republican – Louis Schwartz

This D rated incumbent seems to have a solid lead for this long-time Democratic seat. It is unlikely the primary or general election will be competitive.

District 177 – Philadelphia
Republican – John Taylor

After beating the last Democrat who opposed him by 2-1, it is unlike that the C rated incumbent will attract a top-level challenger this year.

District 179 – Philadelphia
Democrat – Tony Payton
Republican – Matthew Franchetti

Perhaps it’s unsurprising that this longtime Democratic district is expected to stay in the hands of D rated incumbent, Rep. Tony Payton.

District 202 – Philadelphia
Democrat – Mark Cohen

This F rated incumbent is fully expected to hold the seat he has served in since 1974.

District 203 – Philadelphia
Democrat – Dwight Evans

This solid F rated incumbent faces no challengers for the seat he has held since 1981.

First, a word about predictions and notes about how competitive seats are at this time. In politics, a week can make or break a campaign. We are more than nine weeks out from the May primary election and many, many weeks from the November election. There is a strong air of anti-incumbent attitude this year, and actions in Washington may only strengthen it. That will have an impact on down-ballot races. Don’t take anything in this post as the final word on any race, especially grades which may change before the final election. Contact us if you want to get involved with campaigns in your area. We will continue to post new information pertaining to gun owners as we count down to the elections.

PA-8 – Bucks County with parts of Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties
incumbent

United State Congress
Democrats – Patrick Murphy
Republicans – Gloria Carlineo, Michael Fitzpatrick, Ira Hoffman, James Jones

The Republican race could be one to watch come May. The local GOP did not endorse a candidate, though party leaders are clearly upset at the request from all candidates that they stand down in the primary. Leaders have made sure to publicly announce their “unofficial” support for past Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick. While Fitzpatrick may have the name recognition on the GOP ballot, Carlineo is already giving him a bit of a run for his money as a fellow recruit into the National Republican Congressional Campaign’s Young Guns program which recognizes candidates based on fundraising and outreach benchmarks. Gun owners aren’t likely to learn much more in this race until a GOP candidate is chosen. Fitzpatrick was initially endorsed and A rated based on his questionnaire in 2004, but some news reports indicate that after the endorsement, he called for a ban on semi-automatic rifles. It is unclear if he has since changed his mind about supporting the gun ban or maintains a position similar to that of D+ rated incumbent Congressman Patrick Murphy who actually beat Fitzpatrick in 2006 for the same seat. All-in-all, the race for the GOP nomination and for the seat in November will be fascinating for political junkies, though possibly less thrilling for gun owners.

Pennsylvania Senate
District 4 – Abington, Philadelphia
Democrats – Leanna Washington, Lamont Thomas

This district, which is primarily in Philadelphia, does not appear to be competitive. The F rated incumbent has held the office since 2005, and her challenger appears to have only run for lowers offices in Philadelphia with little success. With no Republicans on the ticket, it is likely that Senator Washington’s name will be the only one on the ballot in November.

District 6 – Bensalem, Bristol (Borough & Township), Hulmeville, Ivyland, Langhorne, Langhorne Manor, Lower Southampton, Middletown, Northampton, Penndel, Warwick, Wrightstown
Republican – Tommy Tomlinson
Democrats – Bryan Allen, John Jordan

Senator Tommy Tomlinson has held his seat since 1995 and maintained a A rating and endorsement. There are two challengers from the Democratic side, but neither of which have a voting record on the issue or previous questionnaires. Bryan Allen received the endorsement of the Bucks County Democrats, so he will have key support in the primary election. Whether that turns into support at the polls remains to be seen, and whether either Democrat responds to the NRA questionnaire may also be up in the air given the lack of response by past candidates from the party in this race.

District 10 – Bedminster, Bridgeton, Buckingham, Chalfont, Doylestown (Borough & Township), Dublin, Falls, Haycock, Hilltown, Lower Makefield, Morrisville, New Britain (Borough & Township), New Hope, Newtown (Borough & Township), Perkasie, Plumstead, Sellersville, Silverdale, Solebury, Telford, Tinicum, Tullytown, Upper Makefield, West Rockhill, Yardley
Republican – Chuck McIlhinney
Democrat – Cynthia Philo

As a one-term incumbent, Senator Chuck McIlhinney will still have to run a good campaign to hold his seat. His competitor works primarily with downtown Philadelphia businesses, and has no record on the Second Amendment. Senator McIlhinney had an A rating when he ran in 2006. For now, there’s not much news out of this district. Because there is no primary for either candidate, we may not know until the summer just whether or not there is major competition for the seat.

District 12 – Upper Dublin, Upper Moreland, Upper Southampton, Warminster, Warrington
Republican – Stewart Greenleaf
Democrat – Ruth Damsker

With a B rating, incumbent Senator Stewart Greenleaf is seeking another term for the seat he has held since 1979. His opponent, though never having held an office for which she would earn a grade, has run on a ticket of gun control with current gubernatorial candidate Joe Hoeffel. Her joint answer to a questionnaire by a business group when she was running for office in 2007 called for a limit on firearm purchases which would stop collectors from buying matched sets and possibly even involve the creation of a gun owner registry. Otherwise, her positions are short on details other than “state gun laws need tightening.” While Ruth Damsker has won a county office in the area before, there doesn’t appear to be much commentary on the competitiveness of this race just yet.

District 24 – Durham, East Rockhill, Milford, Nockamixon, Quakertown, Richland, Richlandtown, Riegelsville, Springfield, Trumbauersville
Republican – Bob Mensch
Democrat – Bill Wallace

The incumbent, Senator Bob Mensch, only won this seat a short time ago in a special election. With his previous endorsement and A rating, Mensch will likely carry the support of gun owners again. His opponent, an art teacher, has no history on the Second Amendment. This seat has been in Republican hands for years, so it will likely be an uphill battle for Wallace.

Pennsylvania House
District 18 – Bensalem, Lower Southampton
Republican – Gene DiGirolamo

Incumbent Rep. Gene DiGirolamo doesn’t have any challengers on the ballot this year, which is great news for gun rights. He has maintained an A rating and held the endorsement from NRA-PVF.

District 29 – Buckingham, New Hope, Solebury, Upper Southampton, Warminster, Warwick
Republican – Bernie O’Neill
Democrat – Frank Feinberg

This race may not be terribly exciting for gun owners in the district, though that depends on the responses to the questionnaire by Frank Feinberg (or if he even answers the questions). Incumbent Rep. Bernie O’Neill has been in office since 2003, and he maintains a C rating. At this point, it’s unclear whether there’s a serious challenge here.

District 31 – Lower Makefield, Newtown (Borough & Township), Upper Makefield, Yardley
Democrat – Steve Santarsiero
Republican – Rob Ciervo

The incumbent Rep. Steve Santarsiero has only been in office for one term, so he’s hardly a shoe-in for the seat this time. In the last race, Santarsiero had a B rating. Opponent Rob Ciervo hasn’t held an office that requires a questionnaire at this point. Ciervo has definitely had a very public campaign with letters to the editor in the local paper and catchy fundraisers. This is a seat that formerly belong to the GOP, so it is possible for it to flip again.

District 140 – Bristol (Borough & Township), Falls, Middletown, Morrisville, Tullytown
Democrat – John Galloway
Republican – Jane Burger

Incumbent Rep. John Galloway holds a D rating, and he has held the office since 2007. The seat has been in Democratic hands for decades, so it makes any race for the seat an uphill battle. His opponent hasn’t held an office which would require a grade for the Second Amendment. It isn’t likely that this will be a highly competitive race.

District 141 – Bristol Township, Middletown
Republican – Rick Eccles, Kevin Glasson, Joseph Hogan
Democrat – Tina Davis, Melvin Howard, Mike Slipp

This is an interesting race since the incumbent is retiring after more than twenty years in office. The GOP has lined up behind candidate Rick Eccles while the Democrats have endorsed Tina Davis. Neither has a record on gun rights, so we’ll have to wait for their responses to the NRA questionnaire before we know if gun owners have a good option in this race after years of an F rated incumbent.

District 142 – Hulmeville, Langhorne, Langhorne Manor, Lower Southampton, Middletown, Penndel
Republican – Frank Farry
Democrat – John Toth

Rep. Frank Farry is a fresh incumbent, having only taken the office this term. However, he did manage to win in a year that had overwhelming support for the opposite party. Officially, he has no grade from NRA due to a mix-up with his campaign. But in an effort to show his respect for our communities, he did send a statement on his positions. His opponent has no record on the issue at this time, and it is unclear whether this will be a competitive seat. It would appear unlikely at this time, but being a new state representative, Rep. Farry can be expected to run a serious campaign again.

District 143 – Bedminster, Bridgeton, Buckingham, Dolyestown (Borough & Township), Durham, Nockamixon, Plumstead, Riegelsville, Tinicum
Republican – Marguerite Quinn
Democrat – Kathy McQuarrie

Holding the office since 2007, Rep. Marguerite Quinn may face quite a challenge this year. This C rated incumbent has an opponent who is a professional political activist – one who traveled the country for President Barack Obama since his early primary run. If her political company is any measure of her own views, it is unlikely that Kathy McQuarrie will any improvement for the Second Amendment. Until then, gun owners in the district will have to wait to see if she returns a questionnaire.

District 144 – Chalfont, Dublin, Hilltown, New Britain (Borough & Township), Silverdale, Telford, Warminster, Warrington
Republican – Katherine Watson

With no challenger on the ballot at this stage, B rated incumbent Rep. Kathy Watson shouldn’t have any trouble.

District 145 – East Rockhill, Haycock, Milford, Perkasie, Quakertown, Richland, Richlandtown, Sellersville, Springfield, Trumbauersville, West Rockhill
Republican – Paul Clymer
Democrat – Mary Whitesell

When A rated incumbent Rep. Paul Clymer initially indicated he would retire at the end of the term, it apparently started a local uproar that convinced him to get back in the race. His re-entry into the campaign sent some opponents scurrying since he has a history of dominating elections since he took office in 1981. According to some online sources, Mary Whitesell realizes this race does not lean in her favor.

District 151 – Abington, Horsham, Upper Dublin
Democrat – Rick Taylor
Republican – Todd Stephens

This is a re-match between two candidates who duked in out in 2008. Incumbent Rep. Rick Taylor has a D rating, and Todd Stephens never responded to NRA’s mailings. With a difference of 419 votes in favor of the Democrat in 2008, this could be the year the GOP takes back the seat it held before Taylor’s election in 2006. Based on the close vote margin in the last cycle that clearly favored his party, Rep. Taylor has reason to be nervous in this political environment.

District 152 – Hatboro, Upper Dublin, Upper Moreland, Philadelphia
Republican – Thomas Murt
Democrat – Robert McGuckin

Incumbent Rep. Thomas Murt holds a D rating, and has served the residents of the area since 2007 when he defeated a member of his own party who had establishment support. Little has been found on his opponent, so it is unlikely we will have any information on the race for gun owners until closer to the election.

District 153 – Abington, Upper Dublin
Democrat – Josh Shapiro
Republican – Tom Bogar

D rated incumbent Rep. Josh Shapiro is likely to keep his seat this time round, as he has won his last elections by solid margins – when he even had competition. On the other hand, candidate Tom Bogar is embracing new media to build a grassroots audience, so perhaps there’s more in store for this race than meets the eye. Since he’s a political newcomer, gun owners may have to wait to find out about Bogar’s policy views on our issues.

District 169 – Philadelphia
Republican – Dennis O’Brien

This A rated incumbent has no challenger at this stage of the race, and it is unlikely that an opponent will emerge with enough backing to defeat the candidate who has held the seat since 1983.

District 170 – Philadelphia
Democrat – Brendan Boyle
Republican – Marc Collazzo

Incumbent Brendan Boyle has only been in office for one term, but he won the seat by double digits. He refused to answer the NRA questionnaire when he ran, so it is unclear what his position on the Second Amendment is at this time. His opponent has not been in a position to answer a questionnaire. While this seat was in GOP hands not long ago, it may be an uphill battle now.

District 178 – Ivyland, Northampton, Upper Makefield, Upper Southampton, Warwick, Wrightstown
Republican – Scott Petri
Democrat – David Apfelbaum

Incumbent Rep. Scott Petri maintains a B+ rating and has been in office since 2003. There is confusion about his opponent since the Bucks County Democrats claim to have endorsed a Mr. Axelbaum while the list of candidates reported by the Pennsylvania Department of State indicates his name will be on the ballot as Mr. Apfelbaum. UPDATE: Mr. Apfelbaum is the candidate’s correct name, and he appears to maintain the party endorsement though they cannot spell his name. It is unlikely this race will be competitive since the Democratic nominee is young and inexperienced, running only an education platform. According to local media outlets, Apfelbaum is unable to answer many detailed questions about the issue.

In the race for governor, four Democrats and two Republicans made it on the ballot successfully. On the Democratic side, we’ve covered their positions on gun control before, except for Sen. Tony Williams who was not in the race at the time. His last NRA rating was D – hardly a friend to the Second Amendment in Pennsylvania.

In the category of Lieutenant Governor, there was only one noteworthy surprise. State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe filed rather unexpectedly for the office on the Republican side. Both Democrats and Republicans have already endorsed in the race, and that support usually brings with it access to party support. This morning, Rep. Metcalfe is expected to formally launch his bid for Lt. Gov. at the State Capitol today. While Rep. Metcalfe has been a dedicated friend to gun owners, with the late start, a general lack of name recognition statewide to the broader electorate, and lack of a party endorsement, his campaign will likely be an uphill battle. That might explain why he has also filed paperwork to run for his state house seat again at the same time.

In Congress, the competitive races fill up pages on the candidate list. Consider that the race to oust Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper includes a two-way primary on the Democratic side and a six-way competition on the Republican side. Over in the Southwest, the competition to take former Rep. John Murtha’s seat has a new set of twists and turns. After Mark Critz won his party’s support for the special election to fill the rest of the term, former Treasurer Barbara Hafer announced she would still challenge him in the primary for the election in November. However, after filing the paperwork last night to be on the ballot, she has already dropped out this morning. Regardless, that still leaves a four-way race for the Democratic nomination and two-way competition for the GOP nomination in the 12th District.

In PA-8, Rep. Patrick Murphy has lined up four Republican challengers, two of whom have been recognized by the NRCC for meeting high campaign benchmarks. In PA-13, the quest to unseat Rep. Allyson Schwartz has three GOP candidates on the ballot. The two counties comprising the district split on their endorsements and a third candidate stayed in the race to take advantage of the split. In PA-19, Rep. Todd Platts has challengers on both tickets, but he is expected to keep the seat.

Though some seats are considered extremely safe based on general popularity of the incumbent or makeup of the local electorate, it is noteworthy that only one Congressional seat has no challengers at all this year – that is PA-9 represented by Rep. Bill Shuster.

In the state house, there are few surprises. We’ve covered the retirements fairly thoroughly. And we’ll try to do a detailed breakdown for each area soon. But, a quick check shows that some of our friends aren’t being challenged while others are. The seats with the most names on the ballot are House districts 194, 195 and 199 and Senate district 22. The first two each have seven Democrats and a single Republican while the latter House district has seven Republicans and one Democrat. The Senate district also has seven Democrats with one lone Republican.

Federal Offices

PA-15
Representative Charlie Dent has been an ally of gun owners for years, but he’s got a top-tier challenger backed by the Washington, DC Democrats and President Barack Obama. His challenger, John Callahan, is currently funded by NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a coordinated effort to undermine preemption of gun laws in Pennsylvania and undo the key Supreme Court decision that ensures our laws are consistent throughout the state. He works closely with a lobbyist for the Brady Campaign to promote more gun control at the local level.

If we don’t re-elect Rep. Dent, we’ll see an A rated seat flip to F overnight.

PA-12
An initial look at early names dropped for the seat appeared very bright for gun owners, but question marks linger. Since that early peek, more names have been mentioned as likely competitors and some have already removed themselves from the race. Unfortunately, a good number of the names floated have no record on our Second Amendment rights. Until candidates are finalized by party leaders, we may not know whether gun owners have a friend in the race.

This previously A rated seat may be headed into unknown territory unless gun owners call their respective political party leaders and let them know that any nominee for the special election to replace Rep. John Murtha should share his dedication to our rights.

State Offices

Senate District 14
With the retirement of Senator Ray Musto, a previously A rated seat is now up for grabs. There are two known Democratic candidates who are running for the seat, one who has a record in support of our rights and another who is working with anti-gun forces. State Rep. John Yudichak is an A rated and previously endorsed lawmaker with an eye on the seat. His primary challenger is Tom Leighton who, like one previously mentioned candidate, is also working with NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg to undermine preemption of gun laws and undo a major Supreme Court decision on the matter. Leighton also works closely with the Brady Campaign lobbyist in this effort.

Senate District 22
The retirement of Senator Bob Mellow is particularly noteworthy for gun owners across the state. As the highest ranking Democrat in the State Senate, his support for the Second Amendment made him a powerful ally within the Senate and his party. With an A- rating, a flip of his seat to an anti-gun candidate would be tremendous loss. Among candidate names floated so far, this seat could upgrade to an A or downgrade to an extremely anti-gun candidate.

State Rep. Jim Wansacz currently holds an A rating and has declared his candidacy for the seat. However, since Chris Doherty has abandoned his gubernatorial run and in an effort to take the Senate seat, this will be a hot primary race for gun owners. Doherty has called for an end to preemption of gun laws in the state, meaning your concealed carry license may no longer be valid from town to town and various types of guns may be banned in different cities. He also wants to limit the number of firearms gun owners may purchase, and presumably, create a registry to track such sales in accordance with the policy he is pushing.

11 House Seats
Due to retirements, efforts to reach higher office, and early resignations, there are 11 seats open that have been previously rated A or higher. Those who run for these seats are usually political newcomers or in offices that have little to do with Second Amendment and hunting issues. As usual, NRA-ILA will send out questionnaires to the candidates to get them on the record. However, the final list of candidates won’t be available until after petitions have been returned to appropriate election officials.

How to Help

There are three key ways to support pro-gun candidates right now.

1. The easiest way is to donate money, especially if they have a primary battle for their party’s nomination. Those elections are now three months out, so there is not much time to spare in order to raise money and get word out quickly.
2. The cheapest way to help a candidate is to volunteer your time.  Beginning today, candidates need to collect signatures in order to get on the ballot, and those deadlines are approaching.  Lending a few hours of your time is highly valuable to a campaign, and it costs you nothing.
3. The minimum effort gun owners need to put out right now is letting their friends and family members know who to support.  Make sure everyone is registered to vote, and make sure they know who you are voting for in the next election.  If you won’t open your wallet or donate your time, gun owners must absolutely open their mouths to promote candidates to everyone they know in the district.

These races show that we’re at risk here in Pennsylvania.  If we end up filling pro-gun seats with anti-gun candidates, the next big attack on gun rights will happen right here in the Keystone State.  It’s up to us to make sure that these candidates who loathe our Second Amendment rights are sent to the curb, and these seats remain in pro-Second Amendment hands.  Don’t put your hunting and gun rights on the line this year.