A.G. Gancarski
As the push for gun control measures grips the state of Florida, attention has turned to the positions of Northeast Florida Republicans.
Despite the carnage in Parkland, and the unprecedented activism in its wake, Republicans in the Jacksonville region aren’t evolving on the matter of assault weapons bans.
The latest example: 4th Circuit State Attorney Melissa Nelson.
Florida Politics reached out to Nelson’s office in Jacksonville over the weekend for her position on whether assault weapons should be banned or not. After what was represented to us as a delay in getting the email coupled with work on a capital murder trial further delaying response, we got our answer from Nelson’s spokesman, David Chapman.
“As state attorney, Melissa Nelson is not a lawmaker — she is responsible for upholding the laws of this state. This issue is best left to elected lawmakers. The State Attorney’s Office will continue to work with law enforcement to prevent tragedies like Parkland.”
Nelson, of course, was endorsed by the National Rifle Association just days after launching her challenge in the Republican primary to Angela Corey.
“I am humbled to have the support of the men and women of the NRA and Unified Sportsmen of Florida,” said Nelson. “Like them, I am committed to defending our constitutional liberties and upholding the rule of law.”
In the wake of Nelson’s victory in a campaign which brought many NPAs and even Democrats to the GOP primary to vote against Corey, her then-spokesman Brian Hughes noted that Nelson’s victory was not a “success of the left,” and that Nelson is a “conservative Republican.”
Nelson is the second prominent Jacksonville politician in two days to struggle with NRA questions in the wake of the Parkland massacre and an unprecedented surge of anti-assault weapon activism.
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, when asked about the NRA backing him for Mayor, reframed the question as a general proposition regarding not having “100 percent alignment” with “donors and endorsers.”
Curry noted that assault weapons bans are the province of federal and state legislators, not locals, and didn’t advance a position.
One politician who isn’t struggling with NRA questions: Rep. Jay Fant, a candidate for Attorney General.
Fant, who last week said the push for gun control was a manifestation of liberal fake news, found himself in what some would consider the crucible of liberal commentary: Meet the Press Daily on MSNBC Wednesday, in what was far and away the most valuable earned media that the campaign has gotten (nearly $80,000 per 30 seconds).
“I would not support a gun ban — it is part of the package because gun bans don’t work in preventing these types of crimes,” Fant said. “Gun bans don’t keep criminals from getting guns.”
“Gun bans aren’t helpful in this discussion because it is incumbent upon us to find ways to protect these kids. and gun bans don’t keep criminals from getting guns. It prevents law-abiding citizens from getting guns but not the criminals,” Fant said.
Following Fant in the segment: Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, a Democrat running for Governor.
Levine said that Fant, and other politicians, were chasing “NRA money” and didn’t want to get “cut off” by proposing a ban.
2 comments
Fed Up
February 22, 2018 at 9:30 am
Another RANT by facist FANT!
Frankie M.
February 22, 2018 at 9:41 am
[H]er then-spokesman Brian Hughes noted that Nelson’s victory was not a “success of the left,” and that Nelson is a “conservative Republican.”
It’s all relative when you’re talking about Angela Corey. Compared to her Nelson is about as liberal as you can get.
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