Progressives applaud as GOP Gov. Susana Martinez of N.M. OKs gun background checks

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By Cheryl K. Chumley

The Washington Times

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

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New Mexico’s leading lady, Gov. Susana Martinez, has come out in support of a bill to impose background checks for those who buy firearms at gun shows.

The bill, sponsored by a Democrat, also would pave the way for state records on mental health patients and convicted criminals to be brought into the federal instant background check system, according to a report on Newsmax.

“We want to make sure that guns aren’t sold to a felon or someone who’s mentally ill at a gun show,” the governor said in a Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper report.

Progressives are applauding.

“We don’t often agree with the governor on policies like these,” said Pat Davis, executive director of Progress Now New Mexico, in the New Mexican report. “When progressives like us can agree with conservatives like her on gun law reform, New Mexico should sit up and take note.”

The bill is set for a full House debate on Wednesday.

The governor’s support is somewhat of a surprise for political watchers. Mrs. Martinez’s record for gun rights is well-known; in 2011, her political director posted a video of her requalifying for her concealed carry permit. The New Mexican newspaper reports she earned a score of 100 on both .38- and .45-caliber handguns.

About the Author

Cheryl K. Chumley

Cheryl Chumley is a continuous news writer for The Washington Times. Previously, she was part of the start-up team for The Washington Times’ digital aggregation product, Times247. She’s also a 2008-2009 Robert Novak journalism fellow with The Phillips Foundation. She can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.