On Gun Control Will Heitkamp Side With North Dakotans or Her Hollywood Fundraisers?

“Dems want gun control, but worry it could cost them midterms,” a headline from The Hill reads.

Left-wing groups are investing a lot of activism in the gun control issue, capitalizing (sort of ghoulishly) on the tragedy in Florida, but that’s probably not news for some Democrats tasked with getting elected in states and districts where voters value gun rights.

“For some candidates, gun violence prevention could be a much-discussed issue, particularly in the suburbs or where there’s sadly been a recent gun-related tragedy,” Meredith Kelly, spokeswoman for the House Democrats’ campaign arm, told The Hill. “For others, it’s just not part of the local conversation and it won’t necessarily be the first foot they put forward in terms of messaging.”

[mks_pullquote align=”left” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#000000″]Tonight Senator Heitkamp will be attending a Hollywood fundraiser hosted by Disney boss Bob Iger and headlined by her high-five buddy Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.[/mks_pullquote]

That’s undoubtedly true. So where is Senator Heitkamp on the gun issue these days?

It’s important for North Dakota voters to understand, particularly given where most of the Senator’s financial support has come from so far.

In 2017 more than 94 percent of Senator Heitkamp’s itemized individual contributions came from outside of North Dakota. In fact, she got nearly three times more from New Yorkers than she did from North Dakotans. Nor does it appear as though that trend is going to slow up any time soon.

Tonight Senator Heitkamp will be attending a Hollywood fundraiser hosted by Disney boss Bob Iger and headlined by her high-five buddy Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

I doubt many of the liberals at that fundraiser in Hollywood, or any of the liberals from across the country who have poured millions into Heitkamp’s campaigns, are ardent supporters of the 2nd amendment. In fact, back in 2013 some of her national liberal donors were demanding their money back after Heitkamp was a deciding vote against gun control.

Which is why it’s so important for Heitkamp to be clear about her own position. After all, if she’s re-elected she’ll be the one asked to vote on this issue. Will she be on the side of North Dakotans if the issue comes to a vote again?

Or her left wing fundraisers?

For what it’s worth, Heitkamp’s opponent Kevin Cramer spoke with me about his stance on the gun issue yesterday. He said he’s an NRA member, keeps a handgun in his home for personal protection, and feels he’s never taken a vote that would anger NRA members.