Following receiving harsh criticism from Republicans who regarded his policy move as a betrayal, a Republican congressman who came out in favor of gun regulation after a mass shooting in his district withdrew from the campaign for re-election on Friday, Reuters reports.
Chris Jacobs, a first-term Republican congressman from Buffalo, New York, announced his withdrawal to prevent what he called “an extraordinarily unpleasant election” for the Republican Party.
In the aftermath of two horrific shootings, Jacobs endorsed a federal assault weapons ban and other gun regulations a week ago. Authorities said a white shooter murdered 10 Black people in a racially motivated attack inside a supermarket on May 14, and a shooter killed 19 pupils and two instructors in a separate incident in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24.
The retaliation was swift. According to the New York Times, gun rights organizations placed his office and telephone details on the internet, and local party leaders began withdrawing their support.
Jacobs was elected to Congress in New York’s 27th District with the National Rifle Association’s backing two years ago but now represents the redesigned 23rd District.
The Republican candidate will be picked in a primary election on Aug. 23 ahead of the general election on Nov. 8, which will determine the whole House of Representatives.
Republicans are on track to retake control of the House from Democrats, despite the fact that the party in power in the White House typically loses seats in Congress in midterm elections.
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