The U.S. Supreme Courts 5-4 decision on Monday reaffirming the right to own firearms - including handguns - had hardly been spoken before Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray issued an e-mail press release that (correctly) crowed how he and a majority of other state attorneys general had a hand in the decision.

The attorneys general wrote a friend of the court brief on behalf of Second Amendment rights; that this is a collective right to be enjoyed by all law-abiding Americans instead of a right only as it applies to the federal government.

Their brief was even used in arguments before the court, which looked at Cordray's and the others opinion.

Ever since Cordray first burst on the statewide scene he's made every effort to describe himself as being pro-Second Amendment.

That could very well go a long way to helping the Democrat beat back his Republican challenger. Even among conservative gun owners who traditionally look to "Rs" to advance their cause rather than to "Ds."

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com