Arizona Republican governor candidate pushes gun rights ad in wake of Texas shooting

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- One of Arizona’s top GOP gubernatorial candidates is pushing a gun rights ad in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas, mass shooting. Republican businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson began running the political ad a day after the mass shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead. Now, Robson is calling out opponent Kari Lake about her record of gun rights and immigration in the new 30-second ad.

In the ad, Robson says Lake claimed to be a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) but says Lake only joined last year. Robson then shows a photo of herself in the ad holding a gun, calling herself a “proven conservative” and a “proud gun owner.”

Republican consultant Marcus Dell’Artino says Robson has more money to spend than her GOP opponents, Lake and Matt Salmon. “Every Republican candidate who’s running in this Republican primary would be running those ads if they had money; it just so happens she’s the only one who can afford to be up on TV with this message right now,” he said.

Dell’Artino also added that gun rights rank among the top issues with Republican primary voters. He says candidates like Robson are using ads to assure voters they will back the Second Amendment. “I think it helps her in this Republican primary frankly, even if most people don’t like it, they’re probably not voting in a Republican primary,” he said.

Robson’s campaign sent Arizona’s Family a statement that said they believe the Second Amendment is under attack and voters deserve to know where she stands.

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