On October 15th, Congresswoman Jean Schmidt of Ohio's Second District attended and successfully completed a Concealed Handgun License training
class held in the Clermont County town of Miamiville, near Cincinnati.

Instructor Collin Rink, co-owner of FRST training (www.frst.org), and
Buckeye Firearms Association volunteer said, "I was very impressed with Congresswoman Schmidt. She has been a Concealed Carry supporter for years as an Ohio State Representative, and it is refreshing to see her both support concealed carry with her vote, and with her actions in getting a license."

Rink also noted that Congresswoman Schmidt scored in the top three in the class on the written portion of the test, and had one of the most
fundamentally sound defensive shooting stances in the class.

Congresswoman Schmidt, who voted for the concealed carry reform legislation that is now law in Ohio, told Rink that she hopes the 126th General Assembly will "amend the law to clear ambiguities and inconsistences."

"Most importantly," she added, "a woman's ability to carry a gun in the car must be addressed."

Also attending the class was Hamilton County
Municipal Court Judge Alex Triantafilou, a 2005 Buckeye Firearms Association endorsee, and Jake Fashner, campaign strategist for Ohio Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell.

Rink noted that Secretary Blackwell was scheduled to attend, but was called away on official business. Blackwell plans on attending a future class.

As an Ohio legislator, Schmidt earned two endorsements from Buckeye Firearms Association. In an August 2005 special election Jean Schmidt defeated Paul Hackett in an election to fill a U.S. congressional seat vacated by former-Rep. Rob Portman, who became President Bush's trade representative. She will campaign to earn her first full-term in the 2006 Congressional elections.

Because of her strong support of gun owners while a member of Ohio's House of Representatives, and her continued support while a Member of Congress, Buckeye Firearms Association is pleased to take this occasion to announce our first endorsement of a Federal candidate is for Rep. Jean Schmidt for United States Congress.

UPDATE: The Cincinnati Enquirer has picked up this story! Click on the "Read More..." link below for complete details.

"The NRA is going to work with the people of Columbus and the Ohio Legislature to pass state preemption legislation and restore freedom to the people of Columbus. When the Ohio legislature enacts preemption, freedom will be restored to the people of Columbus. And when freedom comes back to Columbus, we will come back to Columbus." - Wayne LaPierre, NRA Executive Vice President

Newspapers throughout the state are reporting on arguments made before the Ohio Supreme Court this week regarding a Cincinnati man's challenge to municipal gun control laws.

While at first this case may appear to bear resemblance to preemption arguments being made in suits against the City of Clyde, the City of Toledo and also as contemplated in House Bill 347, an attorney familiar with the cases tells Buckeye Firearms Association that City of Cincinnati v. Colt Lee Baskin is anything BUT similar to these other arguments...

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

Two-time Buckeye Firearms Association endorsee and State Representative Mary Taylor recently announced her candidacy for Auditor of State, and is hosting a Clay Shoot at the Hill ‘n Dale Club (billed as one of the best sporting clay courses in the Midwest) in Medina on Thursday, November 3.

Details can be found by clicking on the "Read More..." link below for more.