Alabama candidate fires up shotgun giveaway to bolster campaign

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Feb. 26 (UPI) -- A candidate for the Alabama legislature is trying to fire up supporters by offering the chance sign up for a drawing for a free Remington shotgun.

According to Steve French's website: “Steve is a big supporter of your Second Amendment Right, so his campaign is giving away a Remington shotgun, or a gift certificate of the equivalent value to use to buy a firearm! The contest ends March 14 at midnight. Sign up now for your chance to win!”

French is running against three other candidates in the House District 46 Republican primary on June 3. Eligible voters in Hoover, Homewood and Mountain Brook who are allowed to own firearms are the only people who can sign up for the contest.

"It's a fun way to campaign, to be honest," Steve French told ABC 3340. "It is a giveaway. Nobody has to buy anything and they don't have to commit to anything."

The Remington shotgun is valued at $450.

"There's no requirement on anybody to vote any certain way," French said. "[There's] no requirement on anybody to make a purchase. There's no requirement on anything. What I want is people to come to my website and see my message and if they decide to vote for me then I've done my job. And if they don't, I've not done a good job."

[ABC 3340] [Steve French]