...and you thought the election was over

     Dear Friends,
     With a little luck the election for the US House of Representatives in the 2nd Congressional District will finally end today.  This past Wednesday I had the chance to observe the recount in Vance County on behalf of the NRA endorsed candidate, Renee Ellmers.  The process was conducted by the County Board of Elections and started promptly at 9:00 and didn't end until 5:15.  Ballots were taken out of storage, machines were zeroed and then each and every ballot cast was fed into the machines again using the same process that was used after voting was completed on Election Day.  There were 10 people there observing the process on behalf of Mrs. Ellmers in addition to a lawyer from her legal team.  Mr. Etheridge was represented by a member of the NC Democratic Party, the chair of the Vance County Democratic Party as well as a lawyer from the Etheridge campaign.  The count was done without rancor with all of the participants working together to make sure that every ballot was counted in accordance with state law.  There were just a couple of minor disagreements that were resolved to everyone's satisfaction on the spot and in consultation with the NC State Board of Elections where necessary.  While it was tedious and about as much fun as watching paint dry I think that all who were there believed it was important and worthwhile.  I'd like to commend the Vance County Board of Elections for their professionalism and the diligence with which they conducted the recount.
     After tallying 4,414 votes cast, the result of the recount added just one vote for Mr. Etheridge while the tallies for Mrs. Ellmers and Mr. Rose were unchanged.  It struck me as remarkable that of the stacks and stacks of ballots that the resulting count was so consistent. I have no doubt that it was done fairly and equitably.
     Later today it is expected that the results of the recounts in all 10 counties in the 2nd District will be provided to the State Board of Elections who will in turn make the final tally from recount. They are expected to make that public later today.  If the process employed in Vance County is applied to the other nine counties is used, I am sure that the public and the respective candidates can trust that the results are fair and final.
     I am sure that all of us who have participated in this campaign will be happy to see it come to a conclusion and that we are looking forward to seeing our new Congressman at work representing our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
     Sincerely yours,
     Tom Goffe

Election Results

     Dear Friends,
     It was a long night and a short morning, but here are the results from our quest to safeguard our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
     Senator Richard Burr handily won re-election defeating Elaine Marshall 55% to her 43%.
     The US House of Representatives District 2 race is a bit murkier.  Renee Ellmers (NRA "AQ") received 91,920 votes while 6 term incumbent Rep. Bob Etheridge (NRA "D") received 89,821 votes and Libertarian candidate Tom Rose had 3,418.  Ellmers appears to have won by 2,099 votes or 1.13% but Etheridge has not conceded and news reports indicate he plans on calling for a recount.  Election law "experts" on local news discussions have said that an automatic recount is triggered if the margin is less than 1%.  Etheridge is 247 votes short of that point. We must remain vigilant to ensure that the verdict of the majority of the participating voters across the district prevails.
     In the North Carolina State Senate, there were 11 contests with 7 NRA endorsed candidates.  Of those, 6 of won and 1 lost.  Congratulations to Senators Berger, Jackson, Rouzer, Stevens, Meredith and Blake.  In the State House of Representatives, I'd like to congratulate the Representatives Collins, Daughtry, Wray, Crawford, Dollar, and Lewis. There were 19 contests with 9 NRA endorsed candidates where 6 of those won.
     All in all, it was a pretty good night for the supporters of the 2nd Amendment.  Together we were able to let Washington and Raleigh know that we value our rights and those who work against them had better find something else to do.  Last night was not the end, but rather another beginning as we continue to fight for freedom and restore the full intent envisioned by the founders of our Republic.  I invite all of you who value this important freedom to join me in continuing to support these fine men and women and to assist them on the frontlines as they advance the cause of our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
     Sincerely yours,
     Tom Goffe

US Senate and 2nd Congressional District Voter Guide

     Dear Friends,
     These two fine candidates have earned the NRA's coveted endorsement based on their support for our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. I hope you will support them at the ballot box today.  This page has been updated to reflect Renee Ellmers recent endorsement.    

US Senate

   Richard Burr (A) NRA Endorsed “Solidly pro-gun candidate. A candidate who has supported NRA positions on key votes in elective office or a candidate with a demonstrated record of support on Second Amendment issues.”   Campaign Web Page,    Facebook Page,    Legislative Web Page

   Elaine Marshall (?) “Refused to answer the NRA-PVF Candidate Questionnaire, often an indication of indifference, if not outright hostility, to gun owners' and sportsmen's rights.”

US House of Representatives

District 2 (Chatham, Cumberland, Franklin, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Nash, Sampson, Vance and parts of Wake Counties)
   Renee Ellmers (AQ) “A pro-gun candidate whose rating is based solely on the candidate's responses to the NRA-PVF Candidate Questionnaire and who does not have a voting record on Second Amendment issues.” Campaign Web Page  Facebook Page
   Bob Etheridge (D) “An anti-gun candidate who usually supports restrictive gun control legislation and opposes pro-gun reforms. Regardless of public statements, can usually be counted on to vote wrong on key issues.”