by In the annual Congressional Sportsman’s Caucus competition featuring trap, skeet, and sporting clays, Team Democrat beat Team Republican.
CSC Co-Chair and team captain Rep. Mike Ross of Arkansas accepted the trophy on behalf of team Democrat, made up of members of the CSC including: Sen. Joe Manchin, CSC Vice-Chair Rep. Heath Shuler, Rep. Collin Peterson, Rep. Bennie Thompson, former CSC Co-Chair Rep. Mike Thompson, Rep. Tim Walz.
The Republican team, lead by CSC Co-Chair, Rep. Jeff Miller of Florida, included: CSC Senate Vice-Chair Sen. Jim Risch, CSC House Vice-Chair Rep. Bob Latta, former CSC Co-Chairs Rep Paul Ryan and Rep. Don Young, Rep. Paul Broun, Rep. Jeff Duncan, Rep. Renee Ellmers, Rep. Steve King, Rep. John Kline, Rep. Billy Long, Rep. Tom Marino, Rep. Steve Pearce, Rep. Austin Scott, Rep. Steve Southerland, Rep. Tim Walberg, Rep. Rob Wittman.
The story in the Outdoor Wire also reports Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) won the skeet competition, Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA) won the trap competition, and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) won the sporting clays. Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) won the beginner competition.
It is good to see both Democrats and Republicans supporting the shooting sports. However, judging from some of the comments by the co-chairs, many of these legislators still confuse supporting duck hunting with supporting the Second Amendment. It is unfortunate that not every member of both teams is signed on a co-sponsor of HR 822 and that goes for both the Republican as well as the Democrats.
Next year I’d propose a little different shooting competition. Instead of trap, skeet, and sporting clays, why not make it a 3-gun competition? You’d still have the shotgun involved but would add both rifle and pistol to the mix. Now that would be interesting! It would also show the ATF Shotgun Study team that 3-gun competition is a sporting use.
As an alternative since so many Members of Congress announced after the shooting of Gabby Giffords that they had a concealed carry permit and planned to use it, make it an IDPA pistol competition. That would let us see how serious they are about self-protection and what level of real training they have.