Vocal Second Amendment supporter Sheriff David Clarke appears headed for re-election after handily defeating police Lt. Chris Moews in Milwaukee County's Democratic Primary on Tuesday and quashing a $150,000 donation on his opponent's behalf from former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
"People in this city decided they wanted me to lead the office on public safety and not the city fathers," Clarke said Wednesday.
Clarke said his win was "a repudiation" of outside money, and that Bloomberg's efforts "backfired" by energizing his supporters, the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Bloomberg is the co-founder of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns group, and his $150,000 was more than what Clarke and Moews spent on their entire campaigns.
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Clarke emerged with 52 percent of the vote, and did especially well with African American voters, leading by a 23-percent margin. Several publications including The Washington Post note that he is highly likely to win the general election in November, as no Republicans are challenging him.
The NRA spent roughly $30,000 on ads on Clarke's behalf, and, perhaps more importantly, mobilized its supporters in a successful get-out-the-vote effort. Citizens for Responsible Government and Citizens for Urban Justice also spent a combined $70,000 backing Clarke.
The New York Times noted that Clarke has become a local icon over the last 12 years, "posing confidently on his horse with a white cowboy hat, sunglasses and a pistol on his hip."
He has been a vocal supporter of responsible gun ownership, and told his constituents in a public service announcement last year that it wasn't a bad idea to have a gun in the home to handle a situation until the cops arrive.
"With officers laid off and furloughed, simply calling 911 and waiting is no longer your best option," the ad said. "Consider taking a certified safety course in handling of firearms, so you can defend yourself until we get there. You have a duty to protect yourself and your family. We’re partners now."
Clarke has also written an essay for the Washington Times, saying liberal government policies have made "shambles" of the black family. "White liberal social policies have become the new racism in America," he wrote.
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