It’s the one survey in the past two months that Tom Wolf isn’t winning: CeaseFirePA’s “voter guide,” a report of the gubernatorial candidates positions on nearly 20 different gun safety measures and an accompanying assessment.
Democratic candidates Katie McGinty and Allyson Schwartz are 100 percent aligned with CeaseFirePA’s positions. Rob McCord scored 84 percent, and Wolf scored 79 percent.
The two Republican candidates didn’t respond to the survey.
Neither McCord nor Wolf opposed any measures supported by CeaseFirePA, but they gave vague or qualified answers on some questions. McCord took issue with plans to beef up rules for locking firearms and keeping guns away from children. Wolf quibbled with restricting ammunition sales, requiring ammunition sellers to be licensed, and banning guns on Pennsylvania college campuses.
A recent Franklin and Marshall College poll found gun control ranked at the bottom of the barrel when it came to issues that surveyed Democrats said would determine who they support for governor.
But group director Shira Goodman said she wants to drive the candidates to talk about guns more often.
“I don’t think we’re going to get through the next few months without it becoming an issue in our country,” she said. “I don’t know how these candidates in good faith could not make it an issue. I’m saddened to say I think there will be another horrific incident before the general election.”
Gov. Corbett’s campaign did not provide a reason for not participating in the survey.
“Bob Guzzardi actually said that he might be able to, but he was busy getting signatures at the time,” Goodman said. Guzzardi, Corbett’s only primary opponent, is fending off a court challenge of his nomination petitions.
