This May Be the Zenith of Candidates Using Guns in Ads

How gun crazy have political ads gotten? Missouri's supposedly anti-gun candidate for US Senate just released one in which he assembles an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle while blindfolded and bragging that he'd "like to see Sen. Blunt do this." The ad, from Democrat Jason Kander, was created in response to an NRA ad endorsing his opponent, Roy Blunt, and claiming he'd vote against Second Amendment rights, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The Washington Post calls it a "new caliber of gun ad" that "may be the best ad of the election so far."

While assembling the rifle, Kander—a former Army captain who served in Afghanistan—voices his support for gun ownership while saying he "believes in background checks so that terrorists can't get their hands on one of these." The ad was praised by Americans for Responsible Solutions, the gun control group founded by Gabby Giffords, the Hill reports. The group's executive director says Kander is fighting back against the "Washington gun lobby" while fighting for "the rights of responsible gun owners." A recent poll showed 85% of gun owners support universal background checks. The NRA's major beef with Kander is that he once voted against allowing concealed guns on college campuses. (More guns stories.)