Running for Office as an Open Carry Advocate

Hello I am new to this Forum My First name is Aaron, I am sure you will hear a lot about me, as I am running for State Rep in the 39th district of Washington State, I will be running on the Republican ticket, and I am already fighting very hard to get the party to back me. I am going to be getting my first firearm since the Army in 99, I am going to be buying the Raging Judge 6". I feel that this weapon can not be seriously concealed, and will therefore Open Carry my firearm on the campaign trail. I support Gun Owners, and I have thusly reported this information to the police, that I am going to be campaigning while in the Open Carry format. I am looking for feedback to see how other may see this, as well as to see how much this may bring light to the movement!!!

I will be getting my CPL as the law requires it in this state if you want to carry it loaded, or into sporting events or stadiums.

I expect 2 things to bring light to my campaign 1 Open Carry, and 2 my age, as I will be the youngest person running for state Rep in Washington state history as I will only be turning 31 in election year. I am 29 now, and I am not rich, do not have a college degree, or any long list of qualifications. What I do have is a drive to set my country right, I have even gone so far as to write several bills before I take office, I want to be working before I even ask to work.

So now is the time for input let me know what you have to say Good & Bad are welcome please do not bash but if you have criticism please give it in a constructive form so that I can change, or alter my behavior to better match the ideal outcome.


If you choose to believe a lie that lie has become your truth!!! Aaron Layes

07Altima said:

I will be getting my CPL as the law requires it in this state if you want to carry it loaded

Click to expand...

I would research state law, or at least read the faqs... You do not need a CPL to carry a loaded firearm. You only need a CPL to carry a loaded pistol in/on a vehicle.

07Altima said:

Hello I am new to this Forum My First name is Aaron, I am sure you will hear a lot about me, as I am running for State Rep in the 39th district of Washington State, I will be running on the Republican ticket, and I am already fighting very hard to get the party to back me. I am going to be getting my first firearm since the Army in 99, I am going to be buying the Raging Judge 6". I feel that this weapon can not be seriously concealed, and will therefore Open Carry my firearm on the campaign trail. I support Gun Owners, and I have thusly reported this information to the police, that I am going to be campaigning while in the Open Carry format. I am looking for feedback to see how other may see this, as well as to see how much this may bring light to the movement!!!

I will be getting my CPL as the law requires it in this state if you want to carry it loaded, or into sporting events or stadiums.

I expect 2 things to bring light to my campaign 1 Open Carry, and 2 my age, as I will be the youngest person running for state Rep in Washington state history as I will only be turning 31 in election year. I am 29 now, and I am not rich, do not have a college degree, or any long list of qualifications. What I do have is a drive to set my country right, I have even gone so far as to write several bills before I take office, I want to be working before I even ask to work.

So now is the time for input let me know what you have to say Good & Bad are welcome please do not bash but if you have criticism please give it in a constructive form so that I can change, or alter my behavior to better match the ideal outcome.

If you choose to believe a lie that lie has become your truth!!! Aaron Layes

Click to expand...

First, welcome aboard! Just a quick point, you may carry loaded OC before getting your CPL. You do need the CPL to carry loaded in a car if that is what you meant.

Otherwise, best of luck to you!

yeah thats more or less what I meant

I do not want to open carry when I do the door to door stuff more or less just when I am talking to people around town in the open, or when I go to talk to the Unions, or talk to the tea party that kind of thing but I do not desire to have to unload my revolver each time I get into the car as that would get nerve racking rofl I want to be able to just put it on and go, get out, and talk to people, then hop back in, and off to the next venue that kind of thing. I am wanting to comply with all the rules but I feel only obligated to tell the police here in Monroe about my intent so that it does not become an issue, I know that I will most likely get twice the police attention when I am out doing this than the average joe due to the fact that I will be in such a citizen contact mode. That it may cause others to call who might not have. A person of opposition may also call so I am sure it will be a constant issue

Also thank you

Thank you for the input sorry it was not worded right, thank you for the welcome,and as for speedloaders I am not sure they make them for the Raging Judge yet, I picked out the firearm for its versatility to be a effective multi purpose firearm, I like being able to use 410 both for fun, and the fact that specialty ammo is available for it, and the 454 which has the stopping power that I was looking for, I do not want to have to shoot more than once unless I missed. If that happens though I did something wrong.

I want another firearm as back up with like a 40 in the future but I was able to handle the Raging judge, and have fired 454 before enjoy both so I am hoping the pistol turns out be a good buy. the reviews so far on the firearm are great, I am still looking into finding videos of people using it, and various other information on it, as I will not be able to purchase the firearm until late Feb early March. I will also be looking for all the bad reviews as well to get the negative information.

Negative info has saved me several times on things made me more aware of issues so that they could be corrected before they were ever a problem.

uhhuh,,,,

Running for Office as an Open Carry Advocate


Hello I am new to this Forum My First name is Aaron, I am sure you will hear a lot about me

i kind of doubt it....

maybe not

maybe you will not hear a lot about me I guess the gentleman who holds the seat I am running for is not really well known either, but I am sure it will generate some media attn. none the less. I have no problem running for office I have already started my campaign, and so far have the backing from several substantial groups. I am going to be speaking to the Gentleman who currently holds the seat I am looking to win, he was very interested in me running the last time I spoke to him not long ago, and he happens to be the house Minority leader at this current point, he is looking at taking over another seat, so as being the only person with even an idea to run in my district, and he had no one running against him in the last election I think that my chances are better than none.

So again thanks for the Critical input that is also not constructive. I do not need to be bashed or attacked directly or indirectly, and if this is how you are going treat some one running for office I would hope that you have never done anything for this country as I would be ashamed to have been represented by such an angry individual, Furthermore as for my history, I am a Veteran of the United States Army I was a 13 fox forward observer not sure if you know what that is but I did the job, secondly I am already serving as a low level elected representative so I think I have a pretty fair history of serving my country, and until you can say that you have served anything but yourself I would like if you keep your critical comments that are not constructive to a minimum, if you have something to say that can help, or something that can be constructive then by all means speak up, but until then get lost.

Word of Advice

If you are going to run for public office take all criticism as constructive criticism.

Don't quickly dismiss something as a personal attack and be quick the quips in return. It is going to come with the territory.

I wish you luck in your endeavors you are not my district but would love to hear what you feel about not only gun rights, but also what steps you would take to give more power back to the people and less for the "State".

Are you running as a Republican because you whole heartedly believe in the "Republican" ideals, many which seem to be contradictory to liberty also, or are you running like Ron Paul simply chooses "R" because it is easier than running as an independent or Libertarian?

Will you stick around and help with OC after you win/loose or is this just a campaign tool to help you in your cause?

Aaron, first off; Welcome to OCDO!

2nd, as you go down this road I think you will find that the advocates here and the information on this forum are going to be your best friends. As you know, you are going to get a lot of flak from the media and voters. Knowing the laws and rights verbatim will be in your favor.

I commend you for doing this, but PLEASE do this right. Not representing the Open Carry community / movement correctly can not only hurt your election, but would make the rest of the movement take huge steps back when we have finally begun moving forward. Make sure that your Political Advisor knows everything there it to be known as well.

Another note, do you have a website up and running yet? While most of us may not be in your district, it doesn't mean we can't start putting some word out....

Once again, welcome, and please.... USE US.

If you are running for office then why use "07Altima" instead of your name, after all when people go to the polls are they going to vote for 07Altima.

Aaron-

Welcome to the world of politics. In addition to what others have said I would like to add the following.

There are many issues that effect the public. Every segment of society will claim different "needs" from their Representatives. The number one guiding principle for a Representative should be the Constitution and it's Amendments. Whenever considering a path through legislation every member of the Legislature should first be aware of the "mandate" for such legislation under both the US Constitution and the State Constitution as well. If what you are about to enact has no "mandate" under either document (in other words, is it truly the responsibility of Government) then it should not be enacted.

It is also important to learn and understand how what is done today can have continuing and lasting effects on the economy and personal welfare of those you represent. You state a lack of a college degree. I don't find that all that much of a handicap. To many it would mean that you are not indoctrinated into a set line of thought. It is important though to obtain some knowledge of how the State Economy works as well as what drives the wishes and desires of your constituents. Some can be obtained by a personal study and reading program and the remainder from contacting and listening to those you represent (or wish to).

I have known some State Representatives over the years and have been most impressed by those who weren't polished College Grad's or more bluntly, those who are "slippery professional politicians".

Businesses will have the money which can help when one runs a "Media Campaign". If one has a good pair of shoes, some good clothes, and a determined attitude, going out an knocking on doors will go a long way to overcoming a small campaign war chest.

Lastly, while Open Carry is the Number One issue here on this forum, there will be many other issues presented as you campaign. Just remember that you will need to appeal to ALL those people. When appearing in public just give some thought as to who will be attracted to your appearance (gun and all) and who might be turned away.

Good Luck.

PS: Just be yourself, don't phony up. People would rather know the real you rather than the "political product".

Let me start by addressing you each one

I am sorry that I took the first return of flax as an attack it just had nothing constructive said that could really help. I do agree with some but not all of the republican ideals I may disagree with them, and fight on the political floor against them, I chose 07Altima as my avatar name because I was not sure what to use, and I own an 07Altima which I am proud to own. I do not have a website at the moment but have decided to use a facebook political page to start with. I am a strong Constitutionalist, and believe that nothing should be passed or allowed to be made law or kept as a law that contradicts those values.

I plan to be OC long after I am elected, I wanted to do this long before I was even thinking of running, however the two have become kind of a whole, as this is the first chance in years I have been able to afford a firearm. I am not mainstream, I have no connection to big business or anything like that, I am struggling right now as I have had a very hard go of finding work, I was not in a Union, worked for my brother as an electrician apprentice, and as the housing market collapsed it has made getting a job in the only field I am really trained in near impossible. I am not a Journeyman electrician yet still need about 800 hrs to even take the test.

I have looked into many directions of life, I have a desire to fix what is broken unlike most in office I do not see the system as the problem but the corrupt people who run as the problem.

My first bill that I wrote is designed to bring industry back to Washington, and keep it here. it is only a draft bill that will drastically change between now, and if it ever sees the light of day. I wrote it so that it gives tax breaks to companies that have chosen not to export work, and will give tax breaks to companies who bring 30% or more of their industry back to Washington, and penalize those who seek to import from foreign shores. The idea is to give them an advantage for being here, and a disadvantage for being there. This is only a start, and one page, but by the time bills get passed they are many pages long, but I will fight for the basic idea.

I will give more input after I post this as I want to address every one I can.

07Altima said:

I am sorry that I took the first return of flax as an attack it just had nothing constructive said that could really help. I do agree with some but not all of the republican ideals I may disagree with them, and fight on the political floor against them, I chose 07Altima as my avatar name because I was not sure what to use, and I own an 07Altima which I am proud to own. I do not have a website at the moment but have decided to use a facebook political page to start with. I am a strong Constitutionalist, and believe that nothing should be passed or allowed to be made law or kept as a law that contradicts those values.

I plan to be OC long after I am elected, I wanted to do this long before I was even thinking of running, however the two have become kind of a whole, as this is the first chance in years I have been able to afford a firearm. I am not mainstream, I have no connection to big business or anything like that, I am struggling right now as I have had a very hard go of finding work, I was not in a Union, worked for my brother as an electrician apprentice, and as the housing market collapsed it has made getting a job in the only field I am really trained in near impossible. I am not a Journeyman electrician yet still need about 800 hrs to even take the test.

I have looked into many directions of life, I have a desire to fix what is broken unlike most in office I do not see the system as the problem but the corrupt people who run as the problem.

My first bill that I wrote is designed to bring industry back to Washington, and keep it here. it is only a draft bill that will drastically change between now, and if it ever sees the light of day. I wrote it so that it gives tax breaks to companies that have chosen not to export work, and will give tax breaks to companies who bring 30% or more of their industry back to Washington, and penalize those who seek to import from foreign shores. The idea is to give them an advantage for being here, and a disadvantage for being there. This is only a start, and one page, but by the time bills get passed they are many pages long, but I will fight for the basic idea.

I will give more input after I post this as I want to address every one I can.

Click to expand...

The first thing I would work on is your writing. Don't get me wrong -- I can understand you perfectly. Heck, it's really not even bad by any ordinary standard. But your diction, grammar, and attention to the details of punctuation and capitalization don't make you seem like a strong candidate for a serious political office.

I know this is only an internet forum, but it's never too early to start practicing! I try to write as well as I know how whenever I write at all, so as to constantly be honing (or at least maintaining) what meager skill I possess, never letting it atrophy from nonuse. Also, if you are serious, it ought to be a relatively easy (certainly attainable) goal which will significantly enhance your prospects. And you don't need a 4-year college education to learn it! The cheapest way to become proficient at writing is to read, read, and read some more. Start wherever is most fun, but work your way to advanced literary, political, and philosophical works. Quantity is key, but quality is also a must!

And, of course, you will of course need to take constructive (and, for that matter, destructive) criticism well. I hope you take what I've said as the former and consider it as given in the most friendly manner possible.


Also, as a fan of globalization and a proponent of truly free markets, I would add that I generally oppose the use of tax incentives and would oppose them with certainty in this instance, feeling instead that taxes themselves are inherently immoral, especially in the manner and to the extent they are levied today by the current government, and should therefore be repealed rather than adjusted. I've come to believe that government should make money through voluntary means (lotteries are profitable. Also, behaving as an investment broker, enhanced with the use of legislative resolutions, might be a profitable way of alleviating concerns that it will be impossible to develop infrastructure without theft and central planning, so long as a competitive environment is ensured.). But that is neither here nor there, as I am unlikely to be a constituent of yours.

from honesty

I believe also that it should pass that check against the constitution, and I would work very hard to push back towards that history, I feel trapped by the laws that have choked not only the country but individuals. I plan to be a door to door guy I would be out right now but my kids do fare to well in the cold they are still really little but still go out for short periods anyway, and will be doing more, and more of this as it warms up.

to be on the right path I plan to not carry door to door at least not in the open it may cause alarm, until I see it become a more media covered situation I would not feel comfortable do OC door to door, but want to do this in the more public setting such as in groups of supporters, at union events, when I am talking to people on the street, going store to store, when sign waving, and walking around town.

I want to be as open for the people as I can be, I would like to avoid the career issue as even though I strive for the top office in the long run. I would like not to hold a seat for a century, and die falling out of it, my desire is not the mainstream garbage that we have all had to suffer with. What I really want is to give my kids the freedoms I use to have, the ones that are slipping away.

I guess I have a link to give of my second speech ever given at a Tea Party here in Monroe. I was upset that the Media, and the left wing, heck even some occasions the right wing were saying that our speeches were given to us. I Spent years writing speeches like this with no avenue to give them, so when I heard about a Tea Party I had to see if they were legit, if they would give an average joe like me a shot. I was given a shot to speak the first time at the Everett event, but I was near the end, and most people had already begun leaving by the time I was able to speak which was okay not to worried. It did get the point across however.

I was asked to tone it down a bit, I have no desire to inflame so to speak, but was feeling like I was saying what every one else was feeling, and it was a nice thing to see, it felt good knowing others felt the same way, and that I was truly not alone in my lament.

so here is the link to my video I hope that it is okay, please remember I am not a professional, and it is only the second time I have spoken in public but it does display how I feel, and express my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vel4ET2LVKw

Thank you Marshaul

I take it well. I am not so good with grammar, as many notice. My wife has been on me about it as well. rofl

I suffer from severe dyslexia but I will continue pushing myself to do better with my dictation. Thank you for pointing it out as I did not think about it on this forum.

Some times I get so caught up in the moment, that I forget to use things like punctuation.

I did graduate early, but had another year of grammar my mother put me through. Thank God for my mother. I would be much worse off with out her.

Also my name

If you want my real name it is Aaron Layes, I will not pretend to be perfect, I have made mistakes in my life, but be aware I have been open, and honest with my wife about all of them, and have no real desire to hide them. I am ashamed of many of my mistakes, not because they will hurt me, but because many of my mistakes have hurt others. I guess the honesty starts here. I have been a poor husband in the past, a crappy father, a douche to those who did not deserve it. I have used drugs in my past, and failed to be a good friend. I am ashamed of the way I left the Army, ashamed of much of my past issues. I live in remorse for those I have hurt physically, and emotionally. I do expect to be held accountable for all my actions, and want them out in the open to avoid any scandals, and also avoid bring shame on those I represent. I guess my platform is that I am not perfect, nor will I ever pretend to be. I can not make promises that involve others because I have no control over their choices.

I am running for office, and I am average American with problems. It makes me sick when people run around pretending to be perfect, I am not perfect that is certain, but I have a desire to be Honorable regardless of how it may look.

My heart is with the Constitution the whole reason I joined the Army, and when I failed there even if it was by a medical condition, I was, and still am ashamed that I did not fight harder. Even though I was not to blame I did not give more of myself when I could have, and that is the extent of that shame.

I do what I do for those who died to give me freedom, and for my children's future.

07Altima said:

I take it well. I am not so good with grammar, as many notice. My wife has been on me about it as well. rofl

I suffer from severe dyslexia but I will continue pushing myself to do better with my dictation. Thank you for pointing it out as I did not think about it on this forum.

Some times I get so caught up in the moment, that I forget to use things like punctuation.

I did graduate early, but had another year of grammar my mother put me through. Thank God for my mother. I would be much worse off with out her.

Click to expand...

Well, you're off to a good start already!

While we're on the subject, too many people neglect the value of online correspondence, but as we carry our affairs out more and more over the internet, we should be recognizing a renewal of the value of the written word, not the death of it (as many a highschooler insist)! A forum such as this is a perfect place to make this observation, as many do bring the "instant message mentality" onto the forum, but nearly all of the valuable discussion here is carried out using grammatically proper and syntactically complete English.

By the way, in the same vein, I will share a couple of definitions with you, once again with the intent of doing nothing more than pointing you along your way:

diction |ˈdik sh ən|
noun
1 the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing : Wordsworth campaigned against exaggerated poetic diction.
2 the style of enunciation in speaking or singing : she began imitating his careful diction.
ORIGIN mid 16th cent. (denoting a word or phrase): from Latin dictio(n-), from dicere ‘to say.’

Click to expand...

dictation |dikˈtā sh ən|
noun
1 (abbr.: dict.) the action of saying words aloud to be typed, written down, or recorded on tape : the dictation of letters.
• the activity of taking down a passage that is read aloud by a teacher as a test of spelling, writing, or language skills : passages for dictation.
• an utterance that is typed, written down, or recorded : the person who writes the dictation down is his agent.
2 the action of giving orders authoritatively or categorically.
ORIGIN mid 17th cent. (sense 2) : from late Latin dictatio(n-), from the verb dictare (see dictate ).

Click to expand...

OK, now I will stop bugging you about English. I wish you the best in your affairs, political and otherwise. We need folks like you in office, whether I agree with your stance on globalization or not! Being pro-OC and not a member of the political establishment give you greater qualifications than 99.9% of elected officeholders.

Well, the video would have been better if you had someone with a tripod stand off to the side. The words of your speech however, were very admirable and I'm sure that many agree with your sentiments. I pray that you are able to hold true to your vision and help to make the changes that our nation is in desperate need of. Good luck to you!

P. S. I think that Defender's comments about hearing more about you may have meant that he thought the media would just try to ignore you.

Not to be critical about choice of weapon, but consider three things:
- is your selected weapon a good choice for self defense? and
- does it make sense considering your desire to conceal at times? (you mention that it can't be concealed easily)
- does it make the statement you want to make, or does it say "look at my gun", distracting from your other messages?

If you NEED a handgun that shoots 410 and can only afford one weapon, then so be it. On the other hand, if it is intended to be a tool you can quickly access, draw and fire repeatedly, and can afford to practice with, you might consider something more appealing and practical.

As you know, everything a candidate does gets scrutinized, and avoiding one more thing for people to complain about might be useful.

Thank you all, and True enough

If he meant it as they will not talk about me he is probably right. If he meant it in such a fashion I owe him and apology. Thank you for the educational moment that does help me a lot, I was in error, and will strive to remember that information, some how I dont think I will forget it though. I feel that Globalization is needed you are right about that however I do not think that every industry should be leaving our shores it only stems to weaken the economy. I guess for me it is sad to see that Nissan is more American made than Ford or Chevy, I more or less want to see a stronger economy here at home before I start worrying about the global market but I will keep an open mind, and research it further, and will be open to hearing from any of you. Again thank you, and I want to apologize if I was in error for me thinking it was meant as an attack.