While all of the 13 Senators who voted for the Background Check Bill (HB 35) are unafraid in my book and deserve credit for their vote today, I want to give special recognition to three who took politically risky votes for different reasons. Without these three votes, the bill would have failed 11-10.
With respect to Cathy Cloutier, you can say it would have been more politically risky to her future in politics if she had voted no, given the Democratic demographics of her update Brandywine Hundred-Claymont district. Still, she bucked her far right Republican Party and voted yes.
Senator Brian Bushweller represents Kent County and specifically Dover and the Camden-Wyoming area, which, while not as conservative as Sussex, still leans right on gun issues. Hell, look how far right Representative Trey Paradee is in the House because he is so afraid of his conservative district, which covers much of the same area. Thank you Senator Bushweller.
Finally, Senator Ernie Lopez. A Republican in teabag headquarters. Senator Lopez has been under constant negative pressure from the tea party downstate to vote no. Christian Hudson, who owns Hudson Management and who posted that infamous “Socialism is at the gates” sign that Jason posed under after President Obama’s election in 2008, has been posting anti-Ernie Lopez screeds on the same sign all month, especially after his Death Penalty repeal vote. Here is a representative sign:
Here is what Senator Lopez said in announcing his vote of yes today:
State Senator Ernie Lopez, who’s also a member of the NRA, says he will be vote for the measure because it’s both reasonable and responsible.
In a statement, Lopez says the bill doesn’t prevent law abiding citizens from getting a gun and it doesn’t violate anyone’s Second Amendment rights.
A heartfelt thank you to Senator Lopez for voting with his brain and his heart rather than according to the tea party dogma. And thank you for not being afraid of the NRA.