Republican congressional candidate posts photo of handgun on Facebook with caption: Welcome to Tennessee Mr Obama

It’s an election year, with the polling day only weeks away now. IN the tradition of American politics and its tendency for things getting a little over the top, we expect it to all get a bit weird, but even by the standards of their Hollywood-ised political system, this is a little OTT.

The Republican nominee for Tennessee’s 5th congressional district, Brad Staats, has found himself at the centre of controversy over his wording of a caption that accompanies a picture of his own, beloved handgun.

The caption reads:
“Many people in Tennessee keep asking me about my opinion on Second Amendment rights. Apparently, Tennesseeans are part of that crazy crowd that Obama says ‘cling to their religion and guns.’ Well, then I must be part of that crazy crowd. Here is something that I usually have with me [the aforementioned handgun, displayed in the accompanying picture]. Welcome to Tennessee Mr Obama, where we appreciate our 2nd Amendment rights and the Constitution that was wisely given to us by our founding fathers.”

Many people have taken his choice of picture and even more ill advised choice of words as a threat to the President.

Staats has denied these accusations, telling The Tennessean newspaper: “I’m not one of those that would ever threaten the president. He’s probably got enough of his own stuff to worry about without me.”

Photo: Facebook.