Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark) strikes back against Bloomberg

[primalmu]

Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) is hitting back at New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg after his group ran an ad campaign targeting Pryor for his vote against expanded background checks.

In a new ad of his own, Pryor portrays his vote as standing up for his state's interests.

"The mayor of New York City is running ads against me because I oppose President Obama's gun control legislation," he says in the ad. "Nothing in the Obama plan would have prevented tragedies like Newtown, Aurora, Tucson or even Jonesboro. I'm committed to finding real solutions to violence while protecting our Second Amendment rights."

"I'm Mark Pryor, and I approve this ad because no one from New York or Washington tells me what to do," he concludes. "I listen to Arkansas."

Pryor had expressed outrage at the ad from Bloomberg's Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which alluded to the shooting death of former Arkansas Democratic Party Chair Bill Gwatney and asked Pryor to "take another look at background checks." Pryor called that "disgusting," saying it politicized the death of a friend.

A survey released this week by the Democratic firm PPP found that 60 percent of Arkansas voters favor universal background checks, Forty percent of Arkansans said they'd be more likely to support Pryor's reelection if he voted for background checks, while 34 percent said they'd be less likely. Among self-described independents, the bill was less popular, with 28 percent saying they'd be more likely to support him, and 45 percent that they'd be less likely to do so.

The ad, called "Real Solutions," is the first commercial Pryor is running for his 2014 reelection campaign, and will begin airing Friday, according to CNN.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_3365545.html

We need more Democrats like this guy.

[Ryanxia]

Good for him.

You Arkansas residents need to work hard to keep him in office. We only prevailed on the national level by a handful of votes, we need every pro 2A rep to stay in office.
Make sure you hit up your local gunshops, Cabelas, trading posts, Craigslist, facebook, etc. supporting him.

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Pryor voted to renew a ban on assault weapons as recently as 2004. Personally, I'd be a little worried about giving him another 6 year term with the pressure he is receiving to vote for gun control from both his party and Bloomberg.

If his election had been in 2016 or 2018, do you feel confident he would have voted the same way?

I agree we need more Democrats who support the Second Amendment; but I would prefer Democrats like Max Baucus who voted against gun control even though he was retiring and didn't need to worry about getting reelected. Or Democrats like Heidi Heitkamp who didn't have an election coming up for awhile and was still a solid pro-2A vote despite the massive pressure. We need Democrats who aren't afraid of standing up to the national party on the Second Amendment.

Pryor has a history of supporting really horrid gun control in the last 10 years and took a long time to choose a side in this fight; and there is every reason to believe he only did it because he thought he needed to get reelected in 2014. I'm glad he supported us this time around; but if you get a chance to put someone more reliable in, I wouldn't pass it up.

[Claude Clay]

I've been unable to understand just when it happened that monied peoples or groups could influence local elections ( any election outside their home state/town) with infusions money. in effect buying an election.

PAC's, Super pacs, and ya...Bloomberg's Billions.

answer my own question -- likely coincides with 9/11 and the formation of our Police-State

[kwguy]

...voted to renew a ban on assault weapons as recently as 2004

Danger danger danger. This is an important litums test. At best, he is a fairweather friend to the 2A, and will turn on it to suit his purposes.

[Resist Evil]

So, a liberal senator speaks out against a MAIG advertisement, is now, 'kay, 'kay, like pro-gun now and, like, should be supported? And hope is expressed for more liberals like him to be elected?

So what, I ask, if two collectivist tyrants are squabbling? It is merely two rats amongst legions having a spat signifying nothing of actual value.

IMO, no liberal should have government access to Liberty. A liberal politician sees Lady Liberty only as a girl to work the street corner for cash and to be beaten if there is any lip. And we need more like them? Jeez-o-pete!

[C5rider]

Let's ask the question, how has he voted previously. I know the 2004 vote was brought up, but let's take a broader view. Was this the only time he voted pro/con guns or 2nd amendment? Are there others? If not, how was the AWB of 2004 viewed among his peers? THAT may be more telling of how he'll vote in the FUTURE.

Just thinkin through a keyboard.

[breakingcontact]

What has his party done for him lately?

[MErl]

I've been unable to understand just when it happened that monied peoples or groups could influence local elections ( any election outside their home state/town) with infusions money. in effect buying an election.

PAC's, Super pacs, and ya...Bloomberg's Billions.

answer my own question -- likely coincides with 9/11 and the formation of our Police-State

Claude, I think the big turning point was the 2010 Citizens United case

[willymike]

Well, I'm an Arkansan and I'll be helping him out all I can. Out of office that is!

Liberal -- Yes! Fair weather 2nd Amendment supporter - Yes!

Part of old political family in Arkansas -- Yes!

Three strikes for me.

[clutch]

Originally Posted by Claude Clay

I've been unable to understand just when it happened that monied peoples or groups could influence local elections ( any election outside their home state/town) with infusions money. in effect buying an election.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevente...s_Constitution

1913 or so. No way Carl Levin would have lasted this long if the State Legislature picked Senators.

[BobTheTomato]

I am sure he will make sure any supreme court justice he votes for will be a strong supporter of the 2nd amendment. Did he vote for Obama's who would argue there is not personal right? He is a liar and should be voted out.

[Spats McGee]

In terms of the 2A on the federal level, I consider Mark Pryor to be the weak link in Arkansas politics. He supported us this time around, but his track record, well, let's just say that it leaves something to be desired.

A survey released this week by the Democratic firm PPP found that 60 percent of Arkansas voters favor universal background checks, Forty percent of Arkansans said they'd be more likely to support Pryor's reelection if he voted for background checks, while 34 percent said they'd be less likely. Among self-described independents, the bill was less popular, with 28 percent saying they'd be more likely to support him, and 45 percent that they'd be less likely to do so.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_3365545.html (emphasis supplied)

I call hogwash on those numbers. You might find numbers close to those in LR (being our largest population center), though I sincerely doubt it, or Eureka Springs, being somewhat, ummm . . . , Bohemian in character. Statewide, though? Not a chance that 60 percent of Arkansas voters support "universal" background checks. Not if given an honest question.

[mcmurry]

The funny thing is we have background checks in Arkansas.

[dogtown tom]

mcmurry The funny thing is we have background checks in Arkansas.

EVERY state has "background checks" as it is Federal law, but that is not what is being discussed.

"Universal" background checks (which Arkansas does not do) would require an FBI check on ALL firearm transactions, not just those done by licensed dealers.

[Deltaboy]

Good for the Senator. I called the Mayor's office and told them to buzz off. That Arkansas is proud that our Senator listened to us.
I was born and raised in Arkansas and knew his Dad for years.

[breakingcontact]

He'll be switching parties when?

[Twiki357]

I don't know how far and wide ------ handgun control ads are being broadcast, but he's also saturating the local TV stations in Arizona with ads against Jeff Flake for voting against UBCs. Trying to gain sympathy using a woman who supposedly lost her son in the Colorado theater massacre.

[Bruno2]

This is interesting! Bloomberg is really targeting elections all over the nation. I don't think I like this trend.

[baz]

Good for him.

You Arkansas residents need to work hard to keep him in office. We only prevailed on the national level by a handful of votes, we need every pro 2A rep to stay in office.
Make sure you hit up your local gunshops, Cabelas, trading posts, Craigslist, facebook, etc. supporting him.

He only voted this way because he's running scared for next year's election. He didn't vote this way on principle. I know that, because he doesn't have any principles. Here's a letter I sent to the state's major news rag a while back about Pryor:

Do you know what your elected representatives are doing we we are not watching? At first, I was happy to read that Sen. Pryor voted yes on an amendment that would have created national reciprocity for gun owners with concealed carry licenses. Then I read a story at huffingtonpost.com that described how he changed his vote at the last minute, when he saw that it was not going to pass, so he could go home to his constituents and claim to have voted with the NRA on the amendment. So he was against it, before he was for it. This kind of behavior suggests that he thinks Arkansans all just fell off a turnip truck. If he has so little respect for us, why does he think we ought to respect him?

If I recall correctly, the letter was published, too. Pryor is a snake in the grass. He cannot be trusted, and he will be gone after 2014, if I have anything to say about it.

[Outlaw Man]

I called his office after the first Bloomberg ad and emailed after this latest one, both times expressing my gratitude. I am thrilled he supported us this time, but I know it's because he fears the upcoming election.

Even if I was a single issue voter, I'd have trouble voting for him, as he's been less than consistent. There are plenty of Democrats in Arkansas that I think would die to defend the Second Amendment. I'd much rather have one of them.

[jerkface11]

Hard to say he's a fair weather friend. It was pretty stormy when he voted with us.

[baz]

Hard to say he's a fair weather friend. It was pretty stormy when he voted with us.

I kind of get what you are saying, but I don't think it took any courage or guts to vote the way he voted. His instincts are thoroughly liberal, while his voting is thoroughly pragmatic. We can do better than Pryor. While I'm still registered Democrat in Arkansas (for whatever little that is worth, given that we have open primaries), I'm hoping he gets replaced with a Republican just to further whittle away at the Democrat majority in the Senate. It may be too much to hope for an actual Republican majority after 2014, but gridlock isn't such a bad second best outcome.

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Let's ask the question, how has he voted previously. I know the 2004 vote was brought up, but let's take a broader view. Was this the only time he voted pro/con guns or 2nd amendment? Are there others?

Until this April, the last round of controversial gun votes in the Senate was the S.1805 debate in 2004 where Pryor supported an AWB renewal and several other anti-gun votes.

The only other gun votes would be nominations for various federal appointees - two big ones being Sonia Sotomayor (who after professing to accept Heller during her nomination hearings joined the minority in McDonald in saying Heller was wrong) and Elena Kagan (who was opposed by NRA but has not joined any 2A decisions yet). Pryor voted against the NRA position both times.

[Deaf Smith]

Sounds like Pryor is just playing Bloomberg to make people think he is conservative yet his track record shows that to be a lie.

VOTE THEM OUT. We need as many Republicans, Libertarians, and Tea Party people up there in 2014 to repeal Obamacare, get at least 1/2 dozen special prosecutors, and fix this awful economy.

We sure don't need Democrats to keep such as Reid in power or get Pelosi back in speakership.

Deaf