July 31, 2007
Posted: July 31st, 2007 02:53 PM ET

Brownback in Ames, Iowa today.

AMES, Iowa (CNN) - Republican presidential candidate Sam Brownback fired a few shots today, though not at any of his opponents.

The Kansas senator spent some time on a shooting range in Ames, Iowa - a town also known for a certain well-known straw poll coming up August 11 - and emphasized his position on gun rights to a group of reporters.

"We have a Second Amendment," Brownback said. "It is a right to bear arms, and those should be stood by and those should be honored as a right an individual has."

Brownback said he holds an 'A' rating from the National Rifle Association but that he is not currently a member. The campaign said he's hunted on several occasions.

"I don't think there should be more gun control. I think there should be more education," he said.

Brownback fired an AR-15 rifle. And in case you're wondering, he didn't quite hit the bull's-eye but wasn't too far off from the target either.

"Am I low, high?" Brownback asked after his first shots. "Where'd that go?"

"Just over the top of the target," said an onlooker.

–CNN Iowa Producer Chris Welch

Filed under: Iowa • Race to '08 • Sam Brownback


Ron Nebraska   August 4th, 2007 10:46 pm ET

God must have made him miss

David, Gilbert Arizona   August 1st, 2007 2:17 pm ET

Reminds me of the photo of Kerry on a windsurfer.

I am glad to see Brownback has taken up a hobby, however. It will keep him busy after he gets trampled in the primaries.

bret, atl, ga   August 1st, 2007 6:39 am ET

CNN, why do you waste an entire page right here on a theocrat that is going nowhere, and NRO has a fantastic two-day debate about Ron Paul (the future savior of the GOP, it is true) and you refuse to get in on the action? Come on folks ... THAT IS THE REAL STORY, not the fact that Brownback doesn't know WHY we have a 2nd Amendment (to protect us FROM THE GOV'T and INVASION) or that he can't hit the broad side of a barn.

Tricia M Charlottetown PEI   July 31st, 2007 11:51 pm ET

Gee looks like Dick got some competition with the Big Sticks on the open plains! Take three steps backward, face and fire. See Dick Run!

KebD, Flint, Michigan   July 31st, 2007 9:24 pm ET

That is all we need – another president carrying around a rifle for the world to see our fascination with firearms. More education on how to use an automatic weapon??

Maybe Brownback can invite Cheney's hunting buddy along...since it went so smoothly for him the last time he held a gun. Maybe Cheney could benefit from some Brownback gun education classes.

Tee, Minneapolis, MN   July 31st, 2007 6:23 pm ET

I am surprised he did not invite Mitt Romney for a shooting contest.

cs   July 31st, 2007 6:11 pm ET

what a loser. brownback is the worst. hopefully he will drop out after he loses at ames.

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