Pro-Gun Milwaukee Sheriff Beats Bloomberg-Backed Challenger

Milwaukee County, Wisconsin,
Sheriff David A. Clarke, Jr., made waves when he urged the public
to consider purchasing firearms and getting training so that they’d
be able to defend themselves against criminal attacks. He even
taped public
service announcements to that effect. “Consider taking a
certified safety course in handling a firearm so you can defend
yourself until we get there. You have a duty to protect yourself
and your family,” was part of the message in one.

Unshockingly, gun-banners were displeased by the sheriff’s
stance. The likes of Michael Bloomberg poured hundreds of thousands
of dollars into the Democratic primary race to back his challenger,
Milwaukee police Lt. Chris Moews. In the end, they blew their cash
as Clarke won the nomination and, effectively, the general
election.

Writes Georgia Pabst at the
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. edged Milwaukee
police Lt. Chris Moews early Wednesday in a Democratic primary race
that drew national attention and more than $600,000 in outside
spending.

Clarke led by more than 4,700 votes with just the absentee
ballots in the city of Milwaukee left to count, and shortly before
midnight, Moews refused to concede. Shortly thereafter, Clarke told
supporters he felt good about his chances but would not declare
victory until all ballots were counted.

“We like where we’re standing right now,” he said.

When the last of the absentee ballots were counted early
Wednesday, Clarke had beat Moews by 4,644 votes.

Bloomberg’s own political action committee put more than
$150,000 in the race against Clarke, without effect. Another group
put $400,000 against him.

Clarke received outside support, too, though in far smaller
amounts.

While Sheriff Clarke is very good on the right of self-defense,
he’s not a libertarian dream. His office has
enthusiastically used asset forfeiture proceeds on toys and
junkets, and he touts the “tough on
crime” credentials that you usually get from a career cop, and
which often mean prisons filled with non-violent offenders and
police empowered with troubling authority over the community they
supposedly serve.

But his support for self-defense is a pleasant surprise, and
it’s obviously appreciated by the voters, too.