The hits just keep on coming for the Pima County, AZ Republican Party, which is in hot water this week after fundraising in Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ (D) Tucson-area district with a raffle giveaway of a Glock handgun — the same make of weapon used in the Giffords shooting in January.
Late Thursday, the Democratic leader of the Arizona state House — where Giffords once served as a legislator — took deep offense at the raffle, and called on the Pima GOP to end it immediately.
Arizona is a gun-friendly state, and even Democrats in Pima County say they don’t object to the idea of a gun raffle in theory. But putting a Glock — even a different model from the one used to shoot Giffords and others in January — up as a prize in the district where many say they’re still healing from the attack is beyond poor taste, state House Minority leader Chad Campbell said in a statement.
“I am gun owner myself, a supporter of the Second Amendment and I also believe in common sense, “he said. Their raffle is not common sense; it is sick.”
“The Pima County GOP should call off the raffle in respect for the Arizonans who died and were injured in the Tucson shooting,” he added.
The Pima County Republicans did not respond to a request for comment on the matter earlier Thursday. Campbell made a call for sensitivity in the wake of the deadly Tucson shooting, from which Giffords is still recovering.
“If any good could have come out of this horrific event, it would be civility in our state or employing sensitivity when needed, not reopening the wounds or making light of them,” Campbell said.
Evan McMorris-Santoro
Evan McMorris-Santoro has covered politics for TPM since 2009. Before that, he was a reporter at National Journal’s Hotline covering election 2008. He started his career covering local politics at newspapers in TN and his native NC.
Facebook Conversations
Questions about commenting with non-Facebook accounts like Yahoo, or other concerns? Click here to read the TPM Commenting FAQ.