Grading Methodology For a Candidate's Second Amendment Stance

Ohio's candidates are graded based on their previous 2A voting records, public statements on their constituents owning firearms, and their willingness to focus on 2A issues. Given our research on these criteria, we've assigned the following grades to those running for office:

Politicians Running for Federal Office in 2024

The following candidates were selected for our grading system based on either high-profile races or battleground districts, those with a narrow margin in 2022, for the state of Ohio:

Sherrod Brown - Running for U.S. Senate

Sherrod Brown's Second Amendment Stance

• Supports gun control legislation such as assault weapons bans and universal background  checks.
• Doesn't vote yes or support every gun control bill.
• Introduces legislation that infringes on Americans' Second Amendment rights.

Most Important Issues

• Economy
• Innovation
• Energy
Summary Sherrod Brown does not vote yes to every gun control bill that makes it to the Senate, but he does support gun control.
Grade: F

Bernie Moreno - Running for U.S. Senate

Bernie Moreno's Second Amendment Stance

• Claims to support the Second Amendment rights of Americans.
• Does not support the ATF's Pistol Brace Rule.
• Does not support any gun control legislation despite previous comments.

Most Important Issues

• Education
• Borders
• Second Amendment
Summary Bernie Moreno has no voting history; however, defending the Second Amendment is a key issue for him, and he doesn't support any gun control legislation.
Grade: A

Greg Landsman - Running for U.S. House District 1

Greg Landsman's Second Amendment Stance

• Staunch gun control supporter with endorsements from the anti-2A lobby.
• An outspoken proponent of Americans' Second Amendment rights.

Most Important Issues

• Education
• Gun Control
• Environment
Summary Greg Landsman has a long history of supporting legislation that infringes on Americans' rights to keep and bear arms.
Grade: F

Orlando Sonza - Running for U.S. House District 1

Orlando Sonza's Second Amendment Stance

• Claims to support Americans' rights to keep and bear arms.
• Is not an outspoken opponent of gun control legislation.

Most Important Issues

• Border Control
• Second Amendment
• Economy
Summary Orlando Sonzo claims to support 2A rights but is not an outspoken advocate for the rights and has no voting history.
Grade: B

Michael Turner - Running for U.S. House District 10

Michael Turner's Second Amendment Stance

• Supports some gun control legislation.
• Does not vote yes to every gun control bill.

Most Important Issues

• Healthcare
• Immigration
• Economy
Summary Michael Turner supports some infringements of Americans' Second Amendment rights, but not all of them.
Grade: D

Troy Balderson - Running for U.S. House District 12

Troy Balderson's Second Amendment Stance

• Publicly opposes anti-2A legislation.
• Consistently votes no to any new infringements on Americans' rights to keep and bear arms.

Most Important Issues

• Energy
• Border Control
• Economy
Summary Troy Balderson consistently votes no to anti-2A legislation and worked to block the ATF's efforts to criminalize veterans' access to stabilizing braces. He also regularly discusses his pro-2A efforts on On-Target, a pro-2A program on 610WTVN in Central Ohio.
Grade: A

Jerrad Christian - Running for U.S. House District 12

Jerrad Christian's Second Amendment Stance

• Does not support weapons bans.
• Does support some gun control.
• Is not an outspoken advocate for 2A rights.

Most Important Issues

• Climate Change
• Cyber Attacks
• Second Amendment
Summary Jerrad Christian supports Second Amendment rights but also supports some gun control legislation.
Grade: D

Emilia Sykes - Running for U.S. House District 13

Emilia Sykes's Second Amendment Stance

• Consistently votes no to pro-2A legislation.
• Is an outspoken advocate for gun control.
• Doesn't focus on gun control as a key issue.

Most Important Issues

• Jobs
• Healthcare
• Public Safety
Summary Emilia Sykes does not outwardly focus on anti-2A legislation but does support them in her votes and past statements.
Grade: F

Kevin Coughlin - Running for U.S. House District 13

Kevin Coughlin's Second Amendment Stance

• An outspoken advocate for Second Amendment rights.
• Introduces legislation to relax 2A infringements.
• Prioritizes Constitutional rights.

Most Important Issues

•Constitutional Rights
•Border
•Education
Summary Kevin Coughlin is a pro-2A candidate with a proven track record that supports Second Amendment rights.
Grade: A

Politicians Running for State Office in 2024: Ohio

Ohio has 99 House Districts and 33 Senate Districts at the state level.

The following districts are key battleground areas with less than a 5% margin of victory in prior elections.

Running for Ohio State Senate District 4

George Lang (Republican) vs Thomas Cooke (Democrat)

Endorsement Ammo.com endorses George Lang for his proactive approach to relaxing restrictive Second Amendment legislation.

Running for Ohio State Senate District 10

Kyle Koehler (Republican) vs Dan McGregor (Democrat)

Endorsement Ammo.com endorses Kyle Koehler for his proven pro-2A track record and for supporting Ohio's Constitutional Carry legislation.

Running for Ohio State House District 4

Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (Democrat) vs Jason Allevato (Republican)

Endorsement Ammo.com can't, in good faith, endorse either of these candidates because neither meets our standards for pro-2A candidates due to a lack of prioritization of pro-2A issues.

Running for Ohio State House District 23

Dan Troy (Democrat) vs Tony Hocevar (Republican)

Endorsement Ammo.com is happy to endorse Tony Hocevar, who is an NRA member, a licensed CCW permit holder, and an honorably discharged from active duty Army veteran.

Running for Ohio State House District 28

Jessica Miranda (Democrat) vs Jenn Giroux (Republican)

Endorsement Ammo.com endorses Jenn Giroux for her commitment to preserving Second Amendment rights.

Continue reading on 2nd Amendment Grades for Ohio's 2024 Political Candidates originally appeared in the Resistance Library at Ammo.com.