According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, national Republicans are looking for a primary challenger against pro-gun Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District.
Establishment Republican State Representative Kim Moser of the 64th House District told the Courier-Journal in an interview that she was approached about potentially running against Massie in the primaries. During this interview, Moser took a shot at Congressman Massie, which hints at her interest of challenging the Chairman of the House Second Amendment Caucus.
An article in Gunpowder Magazine raises a good point about Moser’s interview. Moser clearly avoided the Second Amendment issue. Brenden Boudreau, the Director of Field Operations for the National Association for Gun Rights, noted this:
“What Moser conveniently left out of her interview is the fact that she and Congressman Massie are on opposite sides of an issue that is very near and dear to the hearts of residents in conservative Northern Kentucky: the Second Amendment.”
Earlier in 2019, State Rep. Moser was one of the few Republicans to vote against Senate Bill 150, Kentucky’s Constitutional Carry law that went into effect on June 27. SB 150 passed with large majorities and bipartisan support in both chambers of the Kentucky legislature.
Moser voted against SB 150. She attempted to rationalize her anti-gun vote by declaring that it was “very difficult” to vote to restore the right to carry a concealed firearm without first getting a government permit. In her view, carrying concealed “should have a higher threshold,” despite being shown evidence in committee that Constitutional Carry states tend to have lower crime rates than non-Constitutional Carry states.
Moser’s vote against Constitutional Carry puts her in an awkward spot with pro-gun constituents in Kentucky’s 64th state house district, where President Trump won with 67 percent of the vote in 2016. On top of that, her anti-gun vote will not be well-received in Kentucky’s very conservative and pro-gun 4th Congressional District.
In stark contrast to Moser, Congressman Massie has a consistent track record as one of the most pro-gun members in Congress. Massie recently re-introduced his bill to repeal the Gun-Free School Zones Act.
After casting an anti-gun vote against Constitutional Carry, Moser will have her hands full if she decides to run in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District. Voters in this pro-gun district will not put up with establishment types.
