Montana Democrat Senator Job Tester told the Huffington Post on Wednesday he opposes raising the age of purchase for AR-15 rifles. “At this moment in time, no… I think all this stuff is moot. I’d like to have a debate on anything on the floor of the Senate at this moment in time… but we’re a long ways away from even having a conversation about background checks much less anything else. I hope we get something done. This problem is not going to go away,” said Tester.
Now before you go all lib freakout on this guy remember this isn’t some 50-50 vote getting blown up by Manchin and Sinema (Manchin actually strongly supports this ban, by the way). It needs 60 votes to pass and apparently there’s some real progress being made with Republican leaders Moscow Mitch and John Cornhole, per Punchbowl News. So the fact that Tester is coming out and staking a nonsensical position like this is probably actually a good sign. Tester is up for reelection in a Red State in 2024. If there is a bipartisan deal and he’s the 66th or so vote then why the hell shouldn’t he make it 65 and go back home and say he’s got a pro-gun record?