Republican Who Hosted M16 Shooting Event To ‘Remove’ Giffords In 2010 Wins Nomination For Her Seat

Republican Jesse Kelly, a construction manager and Tea Party favorite, won the Republican nomination primary last night to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ). Kelly will face former Giffords district manager Ron Barber in the June 12th special election. Kelly, in his unsuccessful 2010 bid for the same seat, infamously hosted an M16 automatic weapons shooting campaign event to help supporters “get on target” to “help remove Gabrielle Giffords from office.” Just months later, a gunman went on a shooting spree at a Giffords community event in Tuscon, leaving six dead and a dozen wounded — including both Giffords and Barber. Giffords resigned her seat in January to focus on her recovery.