Vice President Joe Biden says former state Rep. Robin Kelly's victory in the 2nd District Democratic primary sends a message that voters won't stand for inaction in response to shooting violence.
Biden told a gathering of state attorneys general at a Washington hotel Wednesday that voters in the 2nd District "sent a clear unequivocal signal" to the National Rifle Association and politicians nationwide.
"The message is there will be a moral price as well as a political price for inaction," Biden said.
Kelly easily won the Democratic primary in Illinois' 2nd District, beating top opponents Debbie Halvorson and Ald. Anthony Beale with 51.9 percent of the vote.
"You sent a message that was heard around our state and across the nation," Kelly told supporters Tuesday, "a message that tells the NRA that their days of holding our country hostage are coming to an end."
She was backed by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who spent $2.3 million to win on ads attacking former candidate Toi Hutchinson’s “A” rating from the National Rifle Association as a state senator and Halvorson's connection to the NRA.
After the race, Bloomberg said:
"You sent a message that was heard around our state and across the nation," Kelly told supporters Tuesday, "a message that tells the NRA that their days of holding our country hostage are coming to an end."
She was backed by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who spent $2.3 million to win on ads attacking former candidate Toi Hutchinson’s “A” rating from the National Rifle Association as a state senator and Halvorson's connection to the NRA.
After the race, Bloomberg said:
"This is an important victory for common sense leadership on gun violence, a problem that plagues the whole nation. And it's the latest sign that voters across the country are demanding change from their representatives in Washington -- not business as usual. As Congress considers the President's gun package, voters in Illinois have sent a clear message: we need common sense gun legislation now. Now it's up to Washington to act."
