Rep. Mary Miller will release a campaign ad hitting fellow Illinois Republican Rep. Rodney Davis over his previous support for red flag laws ahead of their June 28 member-vs-member primary.
The 30-second ad, which will air starting Tuesday, notes Davis’ 2019 support for red flag laws in the aftermath of mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas. Democratic Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham negotiated a bill at the time, but it failed to clear a filibuster. A federal red flag law, which would create extreme risk protection orders, is also likely to be at the center of current gun control negotiations between senators.
“That’s why the red flag law is so important. It should be put on the floor,” Davis is shown saying in the ad, which also notes Miller’s rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and endorsement former President Donald Trump.
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“Conservatives are outraged that RINO Republicans are betraying their voters by working with Democrats to pass gun control legislation through Congress. I have been endorsed by President Trump because I am an America First conservative who will always defend our Second Amendment rights, while Rodney Davis is a RINO who bragged about working with Nancy Pelosi to try and pass red flag gun confiscation legislation for years,” Miller said in a statement to the Daily Caller.
More than 160 House Republicans, including Miller, signed a letter in September 2021 calling on congressional leaders to eliminate a provision from the National Defense Authorization Act that would create an extreme risk protection order process within the U.S. military court system. Davis did not sign the letter. (RELATED: New York Governor Signs Slew Of Strict Gun Control Bills Into Law)
“Mary Miller is a liar. Rodney Davis is a proud gun owner, Concealed Carry License holder, NRA member, and strong supporter of the Second Amendment. He has fought Democrat gun control attempts in the past and will oppose their gun control legislation this week. Rodney has been endorsed by the NRA in every previous election. Mary Miller has not been endorsed by the NRA in this election. Rodney has received more financial support from the NRA than any other Republican member of the Illinois delegation, including Miller. Rodney has worked with President Trump to stop Democrat overreach on gun control. Rodney was shot at by a crazed liberal gunman in 2017. He more than anyone in this race knows how important the Second Amendment is,” a Davis campaign spokesman said when reached for comment.
The Miller-Davis primary is considered a key test of Trump’s endorsement power, as well as an important matchup between the Freedom Caucus and establishment wings. House Republicans, including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, reportedly worked to prevent the former president from wading into the primary, CNN reported. The freshman Miller has one of the most conservative voting records in the 117th Congress, while Davis is the Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee and a longtime McCarthy ally.
Springfield Democrats drew both Davis and Miller into the southwestern 15th District in the aftermath of redistricting. The state lost one district following the 2020 census, and the 15th District is hosting one of two member-vs-member primaries in Illinois.
The 15th District has a 42-point Republican lean, according to FiveThirtyEight.