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Politicians are well-known for making overheated promises on the campaign trail, an often breathless list that includes staples such as reducing crime and cutting taxes.
In Virginia, Del. David A. LaRock, a Republican write-in candidate seeking a state Senate seat, pledged something a tad less traditional.
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If he wins, LaRock told prospective voters in an Oct. 12 email, he “will give away 10 AR-15 rifles — FREE.”
“When you think of Dave LaRock,” the delegate wrote, “remember I’m the guy that’s so pro-gun that I give them away for free.”
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LaRock, when initially contacted by The Washington Post Thursday, appeared to reconsider his offer, at least momentarily, saying he was “fine-tuning some of the terms to avoid any appearance of impropriety.”
A few minutes later, the delegate texted a statement that said he was “withdrawing the offer.” He then texted a second statement twenty minutes later that said his offer was alive and well, and “open to the public, including people who may not have supported me.”
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“I know it sounds a little flip-floppy,” LaRock acknowledged in a second phone call with The Post. He explained that he had talked to his legal counsel and was amending his offer to specify that “there will be no charge to qualify” for the AR-15s, that “winners will be randomly chosen” and that “transfer of rifles will be conducted to comply with Virginia law.”
“I want people to know I’m solidly pro gun,” LaRock wrote in his statement, lest anyone thought otherwise.
As a write-in candidate, LaRock is widely viewed as a long shot in a race that includes Republican Timmy French, who defeated him in the GOP primary in June. Democrat Emily Scott is also on the ballot to represent a largely conservative district that includes the city of Winchester, as well as Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke and Warren counties.
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LaRock’s gun offer is not original in GOP circles.
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In 2014, Clint Didier, the former Washington Football Team player who ran for Congress in Washington state, invited prospective voters to submit their names, Zip codes and email addresses to have the chance to win prizes that included an assault rifle and two pistols. He lost.
Within a week of a mass shooting in Orlando in 2016, Greg Evers, a Republican congressional candidate in Florida, offered to give away a semiautomatic rifle. Facebook took down his post after receiving complaints that it was promoting violence.
In Virginia, an AR-15 raffle purportedly staged to benefit Rep. Bob Good’s 2020 campaign appeared to violate the commonwealth’s prohibition against charitable gambling being used for political causes. Good’s campaign at the time denied that it would receive any proceeds from the raffle.
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Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond School of Law professor, said he was unsure whether Virginia election law prohibits LaRock from hosting a gun giveaway. But he added that it’s “troubling” that a candidate can make such an offer to entice support.
“Even if it’s not illegal, it strikes me as not very great judgment by the person who is running,” he said, adding that the same would be true for a left-leaning candidate making an analogous offer.
If nothing else, LaRock’s AR-15 ploy has drawn attention to his campaign, something that can be all but impossible for write-in candidates.
“If a write-in candidate fails, as they usually do, the actual cost out of pocket to make this promise is zero,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a University of Mary Washington political science professor. “Politicians — especially write-ins — have to do more and more to get noticed and giving away guns can get you noticed.”
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LaRock is hoping that his offer can help him lure votes away from French, his Republican opponent, a possibility not unnoticed by Democrats watching the race.
Yet, Scott, the Democratic candidate, says she is not exactly counting on LaRock to pose a serious challenge — to French or, for that matter, herself.
“It just goes to show you what politics has come to,” Scott said. “LaRock doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning. So he can offer anything he wants.”
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