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Monday, August 4, 2014

Clark Boyd and the 2nd Amendment

Last week I received, as did many of you, a fundraising letter from the Tennessee Firearms Association (TFA). The letter seems to portray Clark Boyd as an anti- gun, pro-gun control candidate who is unsupportive of the Second Amendment. At the same time, it makes current, incumbent 24-year career politician State Senator Mae Beavers out to be some kind of 2nd Amendment savior. Unfortunately, for them, they are wrong on both accounts.

Wanna guess what the TFA is basing their “portrayals” on? It’s based on their candidate survey that I destroyed in a previous blog post. Remember it? It’s the one that 72% of the candidates it was sent to did not return. Boyd was one of them, so now just like the other 72%, the TFA is making him out to be an anti-gunner. However, here’s what the TFA is not telling you – Clark Boyd received one of the highest grades possible for a first-time candidate from the National Rifle Association (NRA), based upon his answers to the questions on their survey. But please, don’t take mine, Clark Boyd’s, or anyone else’s word or it. See Boyd’s grade for yourself on the NRA website by clicking here and then scrolling down. Just as my earlier blog post did, Boyd’s NRA rating shoots TFA’s allegations down. 

The Sheepdog's endorsement
One day last week, I spoke with Boyd about the TFA’s claims about him. He said, “Our (his campaign) concern is that the organization (TFA) is really functioning as an arm of Beavers’ campaign, and I think their members ought to know that their funds are being used to paint an Army veteran and NRA top rated candidate as not being pro-Second Amendment."

Boyd continued, “When I read the TFA survey I thought it had to be a joke, because two of the questions actually lauded Mae Beavers – even asking if I would co-sponsor legislation with her if I were elected. The fundraising letter doesn’t contain the same survey. Obviously a lot of other candidates didn’t take the survey seriously either or they would have answered it.” 

As I mentioned it my earlier blog post, other candidates who are well known for their pro-2nd Amendment voting record ignored the survey as well. Boyd answered the National Rifle Association’s survey and received one of the highest scores for a first time candidate. Could it be that that TFA is simply losing credibility and candidates are choosing to ignore them?

During our conversation, Boyd also pointed out that the TFA simply isn’t an objective organization, because the founder and leader of the group, John Harris, is a close associate of Beavers. Additionally, he and the TFA PAC routinely make campaign contributions to Beavers’, including during the current election cycle’s race against Boyd. 

So, knowing all that, how much stock are you gonna put in the TFA’s claims of Clark Boyd, a veteran, being anti-gun. Could it be that the organization is a little biased? It is true, though, that Boyd has no voting record in regards to gun legislation. However, and more importantly, it is also true that, unlike Beavers, he has NEVER voted in favor of Jimmy “No-Guns” Naifeh, a Democrat, being Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives. Beavers did so 4 times

Something to think about, my fellow District 17 gun owners, before you go vote on Thursday.