Contact: Darrel Ng, 571-730-1010; www.fred08.com

MC LEAN, Va., Nov. 24 /Standard Newswire/ -- Today the Fred Thompson campaign announced its Sportsmen for Fred Thompson leadership and steering committee.  Iowa State Representative and NRA Board Member Clel Baudler, Gerald Stoudemire, Michael Bane, Bill Bunting, and Lee Ann Tarducci will serve as Co-Chairs of Sportsmen for Fred Thompson. 

Clel Baudler has represented the 58th district of Iowa in the state legislature since 1998.  He currently sits on the Judiciary, Natural Resources and Oversight committees and is the ranking member of the Public Safety Committee.  A retired state trooper, State Representative Baudler also sits on the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association.

"Fred Thompson has been an unapologetic supporter of the Second Amendment throughout his career and I am honored to be on his team.  He is somebody that Second Amendment supporters, hunters, and sportsmen will have as an ally in the White House," said Iowa State Representative and NRA Board Member Clel Baudler. "He has the experience, commitment to conservative principles and understanding of the rule of law that we need leading this nation."

Gerald Stoudemire is a 15-year member and current President of the Gun Owners of South Carolina.  The owner of a gun store in Little Mountain, SC, Stoudemire is a NRA Benefactor Member.  He has served the Little Mountain community for over 40 years as a volunteer firefighter, including 22 years as the Volunteer Fire Chief.

"I am so pleased to be serving as Co-Chair of Sportsmen for Fred," said Gerald Stoudemire. "Fred Thompson can be trusted on the Second Amendment.  He is the only candidate with a consistent record that reflects an understanding of the protection provided under the Second Amendment, and will go to the mat to defend it.  I am pleased to offer my support to his campaign and will do everything I can to help Fred win."

Michael Bane is in his eighth season as the host of Shooting Gallery, one of the highest rated shows on the Outdoor Channel.  He is the founder and executive producer of Down Range Television, the largest firearms-oriented community website that receives more than 250,000 individual viewers per month.  The owner of the Michael Bane Blog, he is a contributor to Outdoor Life Magazine.  Bane is the author of 21 books and has been chronicled in numerous publications including Men's Journal, National Geographic Adventure, and Men's Health.

"The so-called 'gun culture' is in fact the mainstream culture of America, and Fred Thompson is the only candidate who understands that simple truth," said Michael Bane.  "Through our license fees, our purchases and our contributions, we represent billions of dollars in annual commerce; through our willingness to accept personal responsibility for our safety, we have seen our fellow citizens benefit as crime rates have fallen across our country; through our resolute belief in the Founders' intentions, we have moved toward a better, stronger America. Fred Thompson understands these things because he is more than a candidate...he is one of us."

"I am so honored to have the support of these leading 2nd Amendment advocates, hunters, sportsmen and gun collectors from across the country," said Senator Fred Thompson. "These folks know the real effect of gun control measures is to place onerous restrictions on law-abiding citizens who use firearms for legal activities such as hunting, self-defense, sport-shooting, and collecting. I am committed to fighting for the rights assured to law abiding citizens under the Second Amendment."

Senator Thompson visited with voters today at the Land of the Sky Gun Show in Ladson, South Carolina.

The Sportsmen for Fred Thompson Steering Committee includes:

National Co-Chairs
Clel Baudler (Iowa), Iowa State Representative and National Rifle Association Board Member
Gerald Stoudemire (South Carolina), President, Gun Owners of South Carolina
Bill Bunting (Florida), Chairman, Governor Charlie Christ's Second Amendment Rights Coalition
Lee Ann Tarducci (South Carolina), Board Member and Operations Director, Second Amendment Sisters of South Carolina
Michael Bane (Colorado), Host and Producer of "Shooting Gallery" on The Outdoor Channel

Members:

South Carolina
Kirkman Finlay, Columbia, South Carolina City Councilman

New Hampshire
Stephen Lee, Endowment Member of the NRA (18+ years) and member of Gun Owners of America                  
Paul Erhardt, Firearm Industry Executive

California
Wally Beinfeld, Shows Director, Beinfeld Productions MB
John Bianchi, Author, Blue Steel and Gun Leather                            

Tennessee
Ronnie Barrett, Founder, Barrett Firearms Company
Lt.  Gov. Ron Ramsey,  Tennessee Lieutenant Governor

Texas
Jerry Patterson, Texas Land Commissioner

Arizona
Scott Moore, Firearm Industry Executive

*Affiliations listed are for identification purposes only