Michael Bloomberg
(Democratic National Convention via AP)

By Larry Keane

Billionaire gun control kingpin and former failed Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg knows a thing or two about losing elections. He also has a long track record of spending millions to flip seats only to lose once voters reject more gun control at the polls.

That was the case in Virginia. Bloomberg’s arrogance showed yet again when he flipped over the couch cushions and found nearly $2 million to throw at the 2021 state-wide elections. It didn’t go well for him or gun control.

Gun rights candidates swept the big three offices of governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. When the dust settled, Republicans flipped six seats to win the majority in the House of Delegates. It wasn’t pretty for Bloomberg or his $2 million.

The Reload’s Stephen Gutowski aptly described the results, writing, “Gun Control in Virginia Dealt Heavy Blow as Voters Turn to Republicans.”

Pocket Change

Bloomberg spent more than $1 billion during the 2020 election cycle and came away “with huge losses.” His gun control pet projects Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action were major beneficiaries. Most recently Everytown dropped another nearly $2 million in Virginia in hopes of securing victories for gun control in the legislature, as well as carrying former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe to the governor’s mansion.

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe  (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Winning the governor’s office would have been huge for Bloomberg. McAuliffe was Virginia’s Democratic governor from 2014-2018 and his gun control platform this go-around was more far-reaching than his previous term.

He declared firearms to be a “public health crisis” from the campaign trail.  He also supported a sweeping gun control agenda that included banning the most popular selling semiautomatic rifles in America – the modern sporting rifle (MSR) and standard ammunition magazines with a capacity greater than 10 rounds. The former governor also vouched for restricting the right to carry by banning concealed carry in “public spaces.”

John Feinblatt, president of the gun control group Everytown, was giddy about Bloomberg’s investment and the prospects of winning Virginia. In June he exclaimed, “Virginia’s elections have always been a national bellwether, so it says a lot about the strength of the gun safety movement that three gun sense candidates are running at the top of the Democratic ticket.”

John Feinblatt Shannon Watts Everytown Moms Gun Control
John Feinblatt and another woman who looks familiar, but we can’t seem to place at the moment. (J. David Ake/AP)

Boy was he right. The problem for Feinblatt is that elections must first be won and Virginians chose the candidates who will protect their gun rights.

Sweeping Victories

After the Election Day dust settled, Virginians gave gun rights candidates victories in the state’s highest three offices. Republican Glenn Youngkin pulled off a come-from-behind victory for governor. Republican Lieutenant Governor-elect Winsome Sears became Virginia’s first African-American woman to win that office. Republican Jason Miyares became the Commonwealth’s first Hispanic-American attorney general. The down-ballot races were just as bad for Feinblatt and Bloomberg. Republican candidates supportive of gun rights retook the majority in the House of Delegates.

The Reload’s Gutowski described the monumental shift. The sweep by gun rights candidates, “also represents a reversal of fortunes for gun-control…The state has gone from considering confiscating AR-15s, to electing a statewide candidate [Sears] who held one on her campaign posters in just two years.”

Michael Bloomberg angry
He wasn’t happy about the Virginia election results. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Another $2 million down the drain for Bloomberg and Feinblatt. Add it to the tab.

Bellwether Indeed

Feinblatt was correct when he said Virginia was a bellwether. Old Dominion voters echoed what millions are saying across the country. They have jumped off the fence and landed firmly on the side of protecting the Second Amendment. It’s not just in Virginia.

In 2020, more than 21 million firearms were sold to law-abiding Americans. So far in 2021, the pace is continuing and trending to become the second-highest firearm sales year on record. In Ohio, Second Amendment supporter Mike Carey won a congressional special election to head to Washington, D.C. In Minneapolis, voters rejected a “replace the police” ballot measure and in Seattle, elected a mayor who ran in opposition to “defund the police” efforts.

Virginia Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin  (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

The failed $2 million effort in Virginia this year is a drop in the swimming pool for Bloomberg but he just doesn’t take the hint. He tried and failed in past efforts, including in Texas and Arizona, and he’s already putting a down payment on the 2022 elections.

One thing’s certain. Voters continue to make their voices heard and they are voting for the Second Amendment. It’s now less than one year until Election Day 2022 and NSSF relaunched the #GUNVOTE online resource so voters know exactly where candidates stand on firearm issues and what they’ve said in the past. It’s a valuable resource for Americans to make sure they don’t risk their rights at the ballot box.

 

Larry Keane is SVP for Government and Public Affairs, Assistant Secretary and General Counsel of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

 

40 COMMENTS

  1. I wonder how Bloomberg’s, Watts, Giffords and Zuckerbergs will be judged in the hereafter for throwing away all that money on trying to buy Election and trampling on our 2A right, so much good could be done with it, why not use it Help Veterans, Children Cancer!! There are so many Worthy Causes, it’s a shame it’s used with such Malice what a waste!!

    • “I wonder how Bloomberg’s, Watts, Giffords and Zuckerbergs will be judged in the hereafter for…”

      I really don’t care, as long as that Leftist Scum isn’t here.

      And hopefully, my little-boy demented troll with no testicles will join them… 😉

  2. I would say ” a fool and his money…”, except that to him, it’s the same as us throwing a ten-spot in the collection basket at Sunday morning Mass

    • Bloomberg has an estimated net worth of $59 billion as of March 2021. All the stupid things he throws money at, ain’t even folding money, just a little pocket change!

  3. He and his ilk don’t care what happened in Virginia. They know what’s best for us (them) and they’re going to shove it down our throats. Even if we bite off their hands when they try.

    On another note. Love your freedom? (Such as it is.) Thank a veteran. Want to keep it? Shoot a politician. Note to the alphabet soup agencies reading this website. I know you don’t have a sense of humor so I’ll make it easy for you. That was sarcasm. A.K.A. dark humor. Kind of like burning a tyrant in effigy.

  4. Keep up the pressure, all!

    We need to peel away more “safe D” demographics; VA might just as easily have been more a matter of McAuliffe screwing up than of Youngkin being desired as something other than “Not McAuliffe”.

  5. The Left claims money corrupts the system. Yet they drop more money peddling influence than the Right does.

  6. You can crow about the few times Bloomberg lost but the far right always remain silent on the many times he has won with his donations.

    Ditto for the great American Hero George Soros who has contributed more money to build schools and universities and finance educational programs for minorities than any other philanthropist. What have the stingy tight wad Republicans ever done for the students except cut back on government grants and loans for students. Now you know why I hate Republicans more than the devil himself as the devil is a saint compared to them. Assuming you believe in such mythical creatures as the devil. The only real devils of course are the Republicans. The real devil could not compete with them and left town decades ago.

  7. Hey, pencil neck! Wondering where you’ve been. Enjoy that kick in the teeth? Get ready, a lot more too come in the mid-terms. And Babbling Bidon is finished.

      • Shit fire, save matches Possum! I’m on a pencil neck’s list! I’m shaking I my boots. I gave him my PX two or three times. He never called. Think I’m worried about him knocking on my door? You’re the only one had the gonads to pick up the gauntlet. Glad you did.

        • Why would anyone want to talk to Flag Waver. He has proven he is a mental basket case and you cannot argue with sick people.

          In civilized countries he would not be permitted to own a weapon.

  8. So who is Youngkin, really? What do we know about him, other than he’s not McCauliffe? Are the rumblings of Soros-related bargains true?

  9. “Gun rights candidates swept the big three offices of governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. When the dust settled, Republicans flipped six seats to win the majority in the House of Delegates.”

    I’ll believe they’re pro-gun-rights when I see them repeal all gun control laws in Virginia, starting with the new ban on so-called “assault weapons” and the new ban on standard-capacity magazines. Actions speak louder than words.

    • The problem with repealing the anti gun laws is the VA Senate. They will defeat any effort hoping that the house will change back next year.

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