In the meantime, please take a few minutes to thank the members of the legislative branches of government who worked on our behalf to encourage the Supreme Court toward this position.

US Senate
Bob Casey

• Facebook

Arlen Specter

• Twitter – @SenArlenSpecter
• Facebook

US Congress
Jason Altmire

• Facebook

Christopher Carney

• Twitter – @ChrisCarneyPa10
• Facebook

Charlie Dent

• Twitter – @DentforCongress
• Facebook

Jim Gerlach

• Twitter – @JimGerlach
• Facebook

Tim Holden

• Twitter – @TimHoldenPA17
• Facebook

Paul Kanjorski

• Twitter – @kanjo4congress
• Facebook

Patrick Murphy

• Facebook

Tim Murphy

• Twitter – @RepTimMurphy
• Facebook

Joe Pitts

• Twitter – @JoePitts4PA
• Facebook

Todd Platts

• Facebook

Bill Shuster

• Twitter – @RepBillShuster
• Facebook

Glenn Thompson

• Twitter – @CongressmanGT
• Facebook

State Officials
Tom Corbett

• Twitter – @CorbettforGov
• Facebook

Joe Scarnati

Karen Boback

• Facebook

Michele Brooks

Bryan Cutler

• Twitter – @RepBryanCutler
• Facebook

Bill DeWeese

Glen Grell

• Facebook

Rob Kauffman

• Facebook

Mark Keller

• Facebook

John Maher

Daryl Metcalfe

• Twitter – @DarylMetcalfe

Merle Phillips

Kathy Rapp

RoseMarie Swanger

• Facebook

Will Tallman

• Facebook

Katie True

“So they essentially get a ‘get-out-of-jail free’ card when they’re stopped carrying a loaded firearm. They produce a Florida permit and our local law enforcement must honor that which is unacceptable given the arrest record and the background of many of these individuals.”

See, you get out of jail free, because you flash a legal license. Everyone knows, of course, the default for carrying a gun should be to go to jail.

He says the Sunshine State is less strict when it comes to handing out permits, looking only at convictions and not a person’s character.

The Sunshine State is not less strict. They require training, fingerprinting, and a 120 dollar application fee. So far they can point to one bozo out of thousands in the Commonwealth who have Florida licenses. Most Florida license holders, including myself, also have PA LTCs, and only retain Florida’s CWL for expanded recognition from other states.

Philadelphia sure does look at a person’s character though. Unpaid parking tickets? Well, no, you can’t have a permit. What kind of person owes the City of Philadelphia money? Had a gun stolen once? Well, we can’t have you exercising your right to bear arms. You’re not a suitable person.

The UFA, namely the Amendments of Act 17, were supposed to make Philadelphia shall-issue like the rest of the state. But they haven’t. Philadelphia routinely revokes permits for trivial and unlawful reasons. They represent only a smal fraction of statewide permit holders, yet represent a hugely disproportionate numer of revocations. Why do some people seek recourse in a Florida license? Because it’s cheaper than hiring a lawyer to fight a denial or revocation.

Lentz and all his gun hating buddies in the General Assembly need to understand this very simple fact: We’re going to flip the House back this fall, and if you shove this down our throats, we’re going to shove a whole lot of things down your throats you aren’t going to like, which include eliminating or severely limiting the discretion local jurisdictions may exercise in issuing Licenses to Carry Firearms. You want us to be responsible with guns, we’re going to demand officials be responsible with the law. If they can’t be, we’re going to change it.

• 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.

The only Pennsylvanian to compete in the challenge is NRA A rated Rep. Bill Shuster (PA-9). If you want to help him out – and keep up with his view of what’s happening in DC – then follow him @RepBillShuster.

The competition is a March Madness-style event with each week’s competition being narrowed down to the best performers. They launched on Monday with 56 competitors – most are House members, but a few House committee groups signed on as well. The first week’s round is to drive up Twitter followers. Future competitions will focus on Facebook and YouTube outreach.

Because social media is such a great way to interact with lawmakers and their staff, gun owners are encouraged to join in as followers. You can make sure they see your opinions and get feedback when they vote on issues that matter to you.

Cam Edwards of NRA News has a great rundown of this ridiculous legislation that every gun owner must see:

Bloomberg plans to spend well into the six figures to lobby for this effective ban on gun shows. As gun owners, we must not only stop the legislation, but also stop the local mayors who are behind this push.

Two of the leaders behind the Pennsylvania movement to end gun shows are state Senate candidate Tom Leighton and Congressional candidate John Callahan. By signing on to this extreme legislation, they want to make it a crime to talk about the things many gun owners talk about while they visit a gun show. They want to create regulations so onerous that the small business owners who run and promote gun shows are forced to close up shop. Fortunately, by turning out at the voting booth, you can send both men packing.

From Roll Call:

Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a group led by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I) and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino (D), is expected today to unveil a lobbying blitz to prod Congress to approve legislation that would require background checks on all firearm sales at gun shows.

The group will launch a six-figure media campaign that includes both national cable and selected state advertising spots as well as an online petition drive.

“The truth is the conventional wisdom is just wrong that you can’t do a gun issue,” said John Feinblatt, Bloomberg’s chief adviser for policy and strategic planning.

Six figures isn’t a huge sum for a national campaign, but it is a threat. The ads are targeted against senators in Virginia, Ohio, and Colorado. It shows that Bloomberg is willing to dump serious money into the issue in order to move the ball forward. NRA is very very good at playing the lobby and electioneering game. They are much less adept at media campaigns to shape public opinion. That’s always been the other side’s core strength against us.

In Pennsylvania, his allies are looking to take his campaign to a bigger stage. Bethlehem’s John Callahan is running for Congress on his record of trying to bring New York-style gun control to Pennsylvania. Here at home, he has worked closely with the Brady Campaign to try and end preemption across the Commonwealth. In the Northeast corner of the state, Bloomberg & Brady buddy Tom Leighton of Wilkes-Barre has joined their efforts that will shut down gun shows around the state and is trying to take that support to the state Senate.

In addition, there was a story last week about MAIG looking to hire an Ohio coalition coordinator with a $75,000 grant, much like Max Nacheman here in Pennsylvania. This is not good news for Ohio activists.

Charlie Cook, the non-partisan analyst, has billed Pennsylvania’s Congressional races some of the most competitive in the country. Two districts – PA-7 and PA-12 – are rated complete toss-ups. This means the ground game of candidates will make the difference. For the two major candidates in PA-12, they are on an accelerated schedule with a special election on May 18. In PA-7, it is an open seat that has been held by both the GOP and Democrats in recent years. We know the Democratic nominee, state Rep. Bryan Lentz, is rated F.

In the leaning Democratic category, we have four seats: PA-3, PA-8, PA-10, and PA-11. In the 3rd & 8th districts, both of those incumbent Democrats have a lousy record on gun rights – rated F and D+ in the last election, respectively. In the 10th, things look slightly better should Democrat Chris Carney hold on to his seat with his previous rating of B. NRA members should also expect that Paul Kanjorski will hold on to his endorsement in the 11th because of his strong A rating from past votes. However, should the winds shift in the district to toss-up, his opponent Lou Barletta is a re-match from 2008 who was also rated A.

For the GOP, they only have one seat that “leans” to their party, and it is PA-15. If the political winds prevail and gun owners lend a hand to their friend in office, Rep. Charlie Dent, then we would keep an A rated seat from flipping to the hands of an opponent who is working with Michael Bloomberg to bring New York City gun control to Pennsylvania.

In the likely category, Republicans again only have one seat in their favor. The good news for gun owners is that it is for PA-6, held by endorsed and A rated Rep. Jim Gerlach.

Again, for the Democrats in the likely category, they stand a good chance of holding onto two seats – PA-4 and PA-17. Once again, gun owners won’t necessarily lose with these trends because both Democratic incumbents are A rated. In PA-17, the likely GOP challenger is also A rated. Any change in the tide shouldn’t impact the district’s sportsmen in any serious way.

The solid category is the only one where the GOP bests the Democrats this year, with a count of 5-4. The safe Democratic seats – PA-1, PA-2, PA-13, and PA-14 – are all F rated incumbents. Unless a political earthquake happens, these seats will all remain in the hands of candidates who are bad news for the Second Amendment and hunting rights. The safe Republican seats, on the other hand, are a much better picture for sportsmen. Those seats are: PA-5, PA-9, PA-16, PA-18, and PA-19. All are held by candidates with an A rating, save PA-19 whose incumbent is still a well-rated A-.

In the races for US Senate and Governor, Cook has billed both races as solid toss-ups.

Week 4
Jim Gerlach
Congressman Jim Gerlach has been targeted by many groups to try and flip this A rated seat to less friendly opposition. The seat leans Democratic by voter registration, so it will draw many outside groups who want to defeat this Republican Congressman. In fact, out-of-state groups have been airing attack ads throughout the Philadelphia-area media markets consistently since last year.

On gun rights issues, Congressman Gerlach has been working on our behalf recently, including signing on to a brief in the McDonald case to support the incorporation of the Second Amendment. With major political initiatives from President Obama’s agenda likely to take the back burner after the elections, we need to make sure that gun rights don’t become a target in Congress. Representative Gerlach will make sure we’re protected in Washington, DC.
Contribute ** Volunteer

Click here to view the embedded video.

None of the candidates have grades at this time. NRA has sent the candidates their questionnaires, and it is now up to the campaigns to return them for grading. As soon as grades are available, we’ll let members know.

To be the first to find out about which pro-gun candidates are running in your area, sign up for our email list!

The first major mention came from GOP candidate Tim Burns on Twitter earlier this month when he mentioned his Sunday activities that included buying ammunition. Though in PA-12, gun owners know that the Second Amendment isn’t a partisan issue, as evidenced by not only Murtha’s great record on the issue, but also through the tweets of the Democratic candidate. Mark Critz followed up a few days later letting us know that he had plans to stop by a local Friends of the NRA dinner. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it in time, but he did write to us and let us know that he will not miss out on the next one!

But now the pro-gun talk has moved off of Twitter and onto the airwaves. With this first commercial in the race, Burns makes gun rights a top issue:

Click here to view the embedded video.

NRA-ILA has sent questionnaires to candidates around the state, and we look forward to seeing answers from each of the special election candidates and their primary day opponents. At least based on new media antics, it looks like gun owners in Southwest Pennsylvania might have a ballot full of good choices.

District 17
Dave Argall, Republican

• Twitter – @ArgallCongress
• Facebook

Frank Ryan, Republican

• Twitter – @FRYAN1951
• Facebook

Allen Griffith, Republican

• Facebook

Josh First, Republican

• Facebook

District 18
Tim Murphy, Republican

• Facebook
• YouTube

District 19
Mike Smeltzer, Republican

• Twitter – @Smeltzer4Rep
• Facebook

That wraps it up for our candidate social media home series! We hope you’ve added some of these folks to Facebook, Twitter, or any of the other social networking sites you frequent so you can keep tab on what the candidates looking for your vote have to say.

District 12
Tim Burns, Republican

• Twitter – @TimothyBurns
• Facebook

Bill Russell, Republican

• Twitter – @Russell2010
• Facebook
• YouTube

Mark Critz, Democrat

• Twitter – @critz4congress
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

Ryan Bucchianeri, Democrat

• Twitter – @Bucchianeri
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Flickr
• MySpace

Ron Mackell, Democrat

• Twitter – @RonMackell4Rep
• Facebook

District 13
Dee Adcock, Republican

• Twitter – @Adcock4Congress
• Facebook
• Flickr

Josh Quinter, Republican

• Twitter – @Josh_Quinter
• Facebook
• YouTube

Brian Haughton, Republican

• Twitter – @brianhaughton
• Facebook
• Flickr

District 15
Charlie Dent, Republican

• Twitter – @DentforCongress
• Facebook
• YouTube

John Callahan, Democrat

• Facebook
• YouTube

District 16
Joe Pitts, Republican

• Twitter – @JoePitts4PA
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

Lois Herr, Democrat

• Twitter – @herr2010
• Facebook

We’ll feature more candidates in the future.

For one, I really love this idea from one blogger itching to make a difference right now:

Conservatives/Libertarians/Independents are, by this point, acutely aware of the need to remove Democrats from office. This takes money. Lots and lots of money. As someone who is woefully underemployed, I don’t have large stashes of cash to send to candidates, so I was thinking that the best option would be to contribute $10 every week to a candidate of my choice until the election.

Obviously, his focus is a partisan one. However, the idea of choosing one or more candidates for regular donations throughout the course of an election year is not a bad one. In fact, it’s a great one! It doesn’t matter if the donations are small, they make a difference!

So with that idea in mind, we’re going to profile a different pro-gun campaign around Pennsylvania that could use your financial support each week. Giving just $10 is about the price of two lunches a week. Surely our rights are worth brown-bagging it for two days?

If $10/week is still too steep, considering giving a couple of hours each week, or a full day each month. Your time is worth gold to any candidate, and they could use it just as much as any financial contributions.

Week 1
Charlie Dent
Rep. Dent is facing a serious challenge from a local mayor who has been working with NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg to bring his vision of gun control to Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, Dent’s opponent, as a White House recruit & friend of Bloomberg, is very well funded. This means that donations to Rep. Dent make a tangible difference in the race. These donations will pay for airtime, yard signs, and campaign literature that must cover every inch of the district if we want to send a pro-gun vote to Washington in 2010. This seat is at serious risk of flipping from A rated incumbent to an F rated freshman if we gun owners don’t step up and help our friend in Congress out during this tough time.
Contribute ** Volunteer

District 9
Bill Shuster, Republican

• Twitter – @RepBillShuster
• Facebook
• YouTube

District 10
David Madeira, Republican

• Twitter – @DavidJMadeira
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Flickr

Thomas Marino, Republican

• Twitter – @Marino4Congress
• Facebook

Malcolm Derk, Republican

• Twitter – @derkforcongress
• Facebook
• MySpace
• Flickr

Christopher Carney, Democrat

• Twitter – @ChrisCarneyPa10
• Facebook

District 11
Lou Barletta, Republican

• Twitter – @loubarletta
• Facebook
• YouTube

Chris Paige, Republican

• Twitter – @ChrisPaige10
• Facebook

Paul Kanjorski, Democrat

• Twitter – @kanjo4congress
• Facebook

Corey O’Brien, Democrat

• Twitter – @CoreyDOBrien
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Flickr

We’ll feature more candidates in the future.

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.

District 7
Bryan Lentz, Democrat

• Twitter – @BryanLentz
• Facebook
• YouTube

Gail Conner, Democrat

• Twitter – @Conner4Congress
• Facebook

Patrick Meehan, Republican

• Twitter – @PatMeehanPA
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Flickr

District 8
Ira Hoffman, Republican

• Twitter – @HoffmanCongress
• YouTube

Gloria Carlineo, Republican

• Twitter – @carlineoPA08
• Facebook

Mike Fitzpatrick, Republican

• Twitter – @Fitzpatrick2010
• Facebook
• YouTube

James Jones, Republican

• Twitter – @jones4congress
• Facebook

Patrick Murphy, Democrat

• Facebook
• YouTube
• Flickr

We’ll feature more candidates in the future.

District 4
Jason Altmire, Democrat

• Facebook
• YouTube
• MySpace

Keith Rothfus, Republican

• Twitter – @keithpa4
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Flickr

Mary Beth Buchanan, Republican

• Facebook

District 5
Glenn Thompson, Republican

• Twitter – @CongressmanGT
• Facebook
• YouTube

Michael Pipe, Democrat

• Twitter – @MichaelPipe
• Facebook
• YouTube

District 6
Jim Gerlach, Republican

• Twitter – @GerlachforPA
• Facebook
• YouTube

Patrick Sellers, Republican

• Twitter – @Sellers4PA6
• Facebook
• YouTube

Manan Trivedi, Democrat

• Twitter – @MananTrivedi
• Facebook
• YouTube

Doug Pike, Democrat

• Twitter – @dougpike
• Facebook

We’ll feature more candidates in the future.

District 1
Pia Varma, Republican

• Twitter – @Pia_Varma
• Facebook
• YouTube

District 2
Chakah Fattah, Democrat

• Twitter – @fattah4congress
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Flickr

District 3
Ed Franz, Republican

• Facebook

Mike Kelly, Republican

• Twitter – @MikeKellyforPA3
• Facebook
• YouTube

Paul Huber, Republican

• Twitter – @Huber4Congress
• Facebook
• YouTube

Clayton Grabb, Republican

• Facebook
• YouTube

We’ll feature more candidates in the future.

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.