Toeing the party line or how a democrat changes his mind

On February 5th 2004 Matt Connealy officially filed as the Democratic candidate for the First Congressional District in Nebraska. He also announced his team of "advisors" for the campaign, and it is a veritable who's who of people that, in the past, have helped elect such liberal notables as Bob Kerrey (D-Ne), Mark Pryor (D-Ar) Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Mary Landrieu (D-La).

A cursory look at candidate Connealy's Biography does not say much about his stance on the right of American Citizens to keep and bear arms. It simply states that Matt, like John Kerry is a hunter. No further information is forthcoming. There is not even any Kerry-esque photos on his web site with him holding a firearm.

Connealy has however served two terms in the Nebraska unicameral and his respones to surveys collected by the Gun Owners of America are quite telling. It would appear that between 1998, when Matt ran for state senate that he espoused the then typical across the board anti-gun democratic platform.

Running for re-election 2002 Connealy and/or his campaign seemed to miraculosly morph into the gun owners best friend. His responses to essentially the same survey denote a drastic change of heart.

From 1998 to 2002 Connealy "changed his mind on several of the questions posed on the the GOA General election survey form. In 1998 Matt did not oppose a "one-gun-a-month" law. On essentially the same survey in 2002 he is now on record as opposing a "gun-of-the month-club" law".

As to a government requirement for a license to buy a gun Connealy changed his mind on that one too. From 98-02 he went from favoring government licensing to opposing it.

There are other examples I could cite, but that would be redundant as his survey responses are herein linked and available for all readers to see with their own eyes.

This begs the oft asked question of John Kerry; Will the REAL Matt Connealy please stand up.