Despite plenty of fertile ground for candidates to exploit the issue, gun politics has been mostly an afterthought in this year’s presidential contest. In one key congressional race, however, it could help make the difference in who holds control of the House after November.
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Despite plenty of fertile ground for candidates to exploit the issue, gun politics has been mostly an afterthought in this year’s presidential contest. In one critical congressional race, however, it could help make the difference in who controls the House after November.
Maine Congressman Jared Golden (D.) is locked in a highly competitive bid for re-election against Republican challenger and former NASCAR driver Austin Theriault in Maine’s Second Congressional District. The seat, seen by leaders of both parties as essential to their hopes of holding majority control of the chamber next year, has predictably attracted a raft of outside attention from groups looking to sway the outcome. One of the most potent and consistent lines of attack from those hoping to flip the seat: Golden’s recent shift in favor of an “assault weapon” ban.