Pro-gun Ted Strickland: Remember when?

Former congressman and Ohio governor Ted Strickland wants to be a U.S. Senator.

His "problem?" He's spent a life-time representing the pro-gun rights values of his constituents, both in Washington D.C. and in the governor's mansion...and he's a Democrat.

Now that he is running for a statewide office on the ;Democrats' ticket, Strickland has determined that he needs to shore up his base by running to the left on the gun issue.

His primary opponent, a gun ban extremist Alexander Paul George "P.G." Sittenfeld who has served as a Cincinnati city councilman since 2011, wants to make sure people in his party know Mr. Strickland's real record on the issue of firearms, even as he likely hopes the liberal base in his party won't notice that he himself is the son of a wealthy investment advisor and graduate of an Ivy League school.

Because Mr. Strickland once worked hard to earn the endorsement of Buckeye Firearms Association and the National Rifle Association (NRA), we thought we'd help Mr. Sittenfeld set the record straight.

• In 1993, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he voted against the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act.
• In 1994, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he voted against his own party and President in opposition to the Clinton "assault" weapons ban, even as his successor in the governor's office, John Kasich, was bucking his own party by rallying votes and ensuring its passage.
• In 1996, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he answered the Congressional National Political Awareness Test question "Indicate which principles you support concerning gun issues" by saying he would "Repeal all bans and measures that restrict law-abiding citizens from owning legally-obtained firearms."
• In 1999, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he voted against attempts to ban sales of firearms between private citizens at gun shows unless they submitted to a so-called "universal" background check.
• In 2003, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he voted for the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which prohibits frivolous product misuse lawsuits against gun manufacturers.
• In 2005, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he again voted for the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.
• In 2005, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he spoke out against a Columbus ban on most semi-automatic rifles that cost the city $20 million in NRA convention revenue, voiced support for Ohio's two year-old concealed carry law, and told legislators they should pass a bill which would prevent municipal gun control laws and make firearms laws uniform across the state.
• In 2006, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he told the Columbus City Paper he'd sign a bill preempting local gun control laws and nullifying an "assault" weapons ban approved by Columbus City Council, and told the Toledo Blade "I would say I disagree with them" ;when asked if the Democrat party is "wrong on gun control?"
• In 2006, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he publicly called out Republicans in the state senate for having failed to act quickly on HB347, a sweeping firearms law reform bill.
• In 2008, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he signed SB 184, Ohio's Castle Doctrine Law, a bill he advocated for as it made it's way through the legislature.
• In 2008, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he signed HB 450, which lifted a state law which banned members of the armed services or the Ohio National Guard who are under 21 and have received firearms training from purchasing or possessing a handgun.
• In 2009, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he told attendees at the annual United States Sportsmen's Alliance dinner "While I am Governor, no anti-gun bill will ever pass in Ohio."
• In 2010, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he was given the strongest pro-gun rating by the Christian Coalition - the same rank given that year to current and former Republican presidential candidates like Marco Rubio, John Kasich, Rand Paul, Rick Perry, and Scott Walker, as well as the person he is currently seeking to challenge for U.S. Senate - Rob Portman.
• In 2010, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he called for passage of Restaurant Carry legislation which aimed to allow concealed carry in places that serve alcohol.
• In 2010, Ted Strickland was so pro-gun he campaigned hard on the gun rights issue in his reelection bid, using the issue to refocus voters' concerns about economic woes and close a double-digit deficit in the polls.

In 2015, Strickland decided to run for the Democrat party's nomination for U.S. Senate, and suddenly decided he was anti-gun.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary, BFA PAC Vice Chairman, and an NRA-certified firearms instructor. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website.