Indicating that public sentiment may be shifting on the use of gun violence as a viable political issue – at least in some communities – a Congressional candidate in Illinois is kicking off his campaign by touting his long-time support for gun control.
In the very first ad of his 2016 campaign for Illinois’ 10th Congressional District, Brad Schneider shares with viewers that gun violence “isn’t about politics – it’s personal.” A narrator starts: “When you’re named in memory of a family member killed by gun violence…” before proceeding to tout his support for background checks and a ban on assault weapons, and an ‘F’ rating from the NRA.
The ad calls it an “epidemic of gun violence,” including headlines and news footage from recent mass shootings alongside images of crime scene tape and racks of weapons, as well as footage of Schneider speaking with gun control activists.
We’ve grown more accustomed to candidates shooting guns in ads – Republicans and Democrats alike, taking aim at legislation or cooking bacon with a machine gun. But after more mass shootings in recent years than we’d like to remember, the tide may be reversing.
Schneider is running in the northern suburbs of Chicago – one of the cities most afflicted by the epidemic of gun violence – and faces a March 15 primary against fellow Democrat Nancy Rotering. He’s likely hoping to repeat the success of Robin Kelly, who won a 2013 special election in the suburbs south of Chicago by making gun violence a central campaign issue – albeit in a more Democratic district and with the financial backing of Mike Bloomberg’s super PAC.
Schneider first defeated the incumbent Republican Robert Dold in the presidential election year of 2012, before losing a rematch in 2014. With gun violence likely to be an issue atop the ticket, he’s hoping it’ll help him carry a rubber match in 2016.
In the very first ad of his 2016 campaign for Illinois’ 10th Congressional District, Brad Schneider shares with viewers that gun violence “isn’t about politics – it’s personal.” A narrator starts: “When you’re named in memory of a family member killed by gun violence…” before proceeding to tout his support for background checks and a ban on assault weapons, and an ‘F’ rating from the NRA.
The ad calls it an “epidemic of gun violence,” including headlines and news footage from recent mass shootings alongside images of crime scene tape and racks of weapons, as well as footage of Schneider speaking with gun control activists.
We’ve grown more accustomed to candidates shooting guns in ads – Republicans and Democrats alike, taking aim at legislation or cooking bacon with a machine gun. But after more mass shootings in recent years than we’d like to remember, the tide may be reversing.
Schneider is running in the northern suburbs of Chicago – one of the cities most afflicted by the epidemic of gun violence – and faces a March 15 primary against fellow Democrat Nancy Rotering. He’s likely hoping to repeat the success of Robin Kelly, who won a 2013 special election in the suburbs south of Chicago by making gun violence a central campaign issue – albeit in a more Democratic district and with the financial backing of Mike Bloomberg’s super PAC.
Schneider first defeated the incumbent Republican Robert Dold in the presidential election year of 2012, before losing a rematch in 2014. With gun violence likely to be an issue atop the ticket, he’s hoping it’ll help him carry a rubber match in 2016.