Illinois US Senate Candidates on Gun Control

The Chicago Tribune reports the results of an Associated Press poll, in which candidates for the Senate were asked the following:

Please explain your views on gun control, including whether the federal ban on "assault weapons" should be revived.

Here are the responses:

DEMOCRATS:

--Alexi Giannoulias: "No one needs a semiautomatic weapon on the streets of Chicago, and no convicted felons or domestic abusers need a weapon anywhere in Illinois."

--David Hoffman: "I believe in the Second Amendment and believe that local communities that suffer with high levels of gun violence deserve strong programs to reduce gun violence and control the illegal flow of guns into their communities."

--Cheryle Jackson: "Violence thrives on poverty and despair. It blossoms when there are no good jobs, no good schools and no good prospects."

--Jacob Meister: "Particularly in urban areas, there is a need to put reasonable restrictions on the purchase and use of firearms, including assault weapons." ------

REPUBLICANS

--Patrick Hughes: "I believe in a person's Second Amendment right and would not support a federal ban on 'assault weapons."'

--Mark Kirk: "I support the Second Amendment and sensible measures to reduce illegal gun violence."

--Andy Martin: "The 'assault weapons' ban was a joke and matters should be left as they are without any new legislation."

--Kathleen Thomas: "Criminals will always have access to weaponry. Why would we ever want to limit the law-abiding citizen from having firearms?"

Besides the fact that we have to ask those Democrats what exactly is an "assault weapon," what do you think about the response of Cheryle Jackson? Is she a hidden gu supporter among the Dems?

The rest are fairly expected and uninteresting for me, except for the first Democrat, Mr. Alexi Giannoulias. What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.