GOP’s congressional hopefuls unite in bashing gun proposal

Republican congressional candidates in Tuesday’s runoffs are having a difficult time trying to separate themselves from their opponents on the Senate gun deal.

They all hate it.

Mike Collins, running in the 10th Congressional District, took his case to a gun store in Bogart.

“The Second Amendment is absolute,” Collins said. “And here we are, standing in a gun shop, and we’ve got the U.S. Senate debating how much of those rights they’re going to take.”

His opponent, Vernon Jones, staked out a similar stance, saying he “will never compromise on the Second Amendment — period.”

In the newly drawn 6th Congressional District, no longer safe electoral territory for a gun control advocate like U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, Jake Evans and Rich McCormick tried hard to outdo each other in proving their commitment to gun rights.

Evans said he will “oppose any effort to roll back gun rights for law-abiding citizens.” McCormick threw in a few extra adverbs but stuck to the same theme, saying he will “unequivocally and unapologetically oppose any legislation that makes it harder for law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.”

U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker came the closest of any Republican in backing the gun deal. He approved of the bipartisan effort and was glad to see that the framework included strengthening mental health programs and school safety.

“But at this point, it’s just that: a framework,” Walker said. “With these D.C. politicians you always have to check the fine print. So I’ll be looking closely at the specifics of the entire legislation once it’s made public.”