A group of gun violence victims and gun control advocates called out former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat, for resorting to "double-talk" to win votes in the race for U.S. Senate.
Strickland, who presided over a pro-gun voting record when serving in Congress and received high marks from the National Rifle Association, has endured criticism in recent weeks after his campaign appeared to mislead voters on his decision to support some gun-control measures.
Members of the gun safety community penned an open letter to Ohio voters this week explaining why they elected to endorse Strickland’s primary challenger, Cincinnati city councilman P.G. Sittenfeld, for the Democratic nomination.
"Gov. Strickland has cynically claimed that his position on guns has ‘evolved,’ and that he now supports the very same background checks he’s spent his entire career voting against," the letter, published on Sittenfeld’s campaign website, read.
"If we believed that was true, we would applaud Gov. Strickland’s evolution. After all, everyone has the right to change his or her mind. But no one has the right to speak out of both sides of their mouth--which is exactly what Gov. Strickland has been doing."
While Strickland’s campaign representatives told various publications that he began supporting some gun safety measures following the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting, audio released by his challenger’s campaign recently showed Strickland touting his pro-gun record last March.
"I have not lobbied for additional gun laws, and brother, let me put my record in front of you. As a congressman, I had an A and most of the time an A+ rating with the National Rifle Association. That has been my position and it is my position," Strickland told local WOSU radio on March 10, 2015.
The former governor now supports the expansion of background checks and a ban on gun purchases for people on the U.S. terror watch list.
The letter, circulated by Sittenfeld’s campaign Friday, was signed by survivors of the 2011 Tucson, Arizona, shooting, members Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and other gun control advocates.
Sittenfeld, a strong proponent of gun reform measures, has repeatedly demanded that Strickland debate him ahead of the March primary so that voters can see their differing positions on guns and other issues. Strickland has refused the calls for debates despite increasing pressure from local media outlets.
Instead, Strickland has focused his attention on incumbent Sen. Ron Portman (R, Ohio), who he will likely face in the general contest for the Senate seat. Strickland’s campaign has ramped up attacks on Portman in recent weeks, accusing him of engaging in "double-speak" to please Ohio voters.