Florida gun owners are celebrating an unusual turn of events, as anti-gun Republican state Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla was defeated in Tuesday’s election by a pro-gun Democrat.
During his term, Diaz de la Portilla, who chaired the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, helped kill an emergency concealed-carry bill, refused to hold hearings on a campus-carry bill, and was instrumental in defeating bills on open carry and campus carry. With that record, even an $85,000 donation from Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown couldn’t hold his place in the Senate, and he was defeated by state Rep. Jose Javier.
With Diaz de la Portilla out—and Republicans’ 25-15 majority preserved by the defeat of Democratic Sen. Dwight Bullard by Republican Rep. Frank Artiles—gun advocates predict the next session will be much more productive.
“We are in a very advantageous political position this year, especially now that Diaz de la Portilla cannot block our efforts,” Bekah Hargrove, member of Florida Students for Concealed Carry, told guns.com. “The people have shown they do not appreciate politicians who lie and advance their own agenda while ignoring the wishes of their constituents.”
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