After coming under fire from Republicans who saw his policy shift as a betrayal, a Republican congressman who came out in support of gun control after a mass shooting in his district dropped out of the race for re-election on Friday.
Republican Rep. Chris Jacobs first-term U.S. representative from Buffalo, New York, announced his decision to withdraw in order to avoid “an incredibly divisive election” for the Republican Party.
Jacobs told reporters that he has decided to retire rather than face what he called an “incredibly divisive election,” just days after expressing support for a federal assault weapons ban.
Here’s what he said:
“The last thing we need is an incredibly negative, half-truth-filled media attack funded by millions of dollars of special interest money coming into our community around this issue of guns and gun violence and gun control. Therefore today I am announcing I will not run for the 23rd Congressional District.”
In the aftermath of two mass shootings, Jacobs endorsed a federal assault weapons ban and other gun-control measures a week ago. Authorities said a white shooter killed 10 Black people in a racially motivated attack inside a supermarket on May 14, and a gunman killed 19 pupils and two instructors in a separate attack in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24.
Jacobs declared last week causing outrage among state conservatives.
“I want to be completely transparent of where I am in Congress. If an assault weapons ban bill came to the floor that would ban something like an AR-15, I would vote for it,” he said.
According to an outlet, gun rights groups placed his office and cellphone details on the internet, and local party leaders began withdrawing their support.
Jacobs was elected to Congress in New York’s 27th District with the National Rifle Association’s support two years ago but now represents the redesigned 23rd District.
The Republican candidate will be picked in a primary election on Aug. 23 ahead of the general election on Nov. 8, which will decide the whole House of Representatives.
Republicans are on track to retake control of the House from the Democrats, as the party in power in the White House often loses seats in Congress in midterm elections.
Sources: Westernjournal, 13wham, Politico
