There’s bound to be some politicians you wouldn’t vote for to fill any office. “I wouldn’t elect them dog catcher,” is a common refrain, at least around my neck of the woods. It’s perfectly acceptable to feel that way about some folks, too. I think we all do it.

Yet it’s quite another when someone who loses a federal office decides to run for a local race, yet a powerful group who helped him lose that congressional seat decides to go after him yet again.

Oh, that never happens? I guess Mike Coffman can rest easy then.

A gun control group that helped oust Mike Coffman from Congress last year is now targeting the Republican as he runs for Aurora mayor.

Though that office is officially nonpartisan, a new digital ad that’s launching Wednesday draws on the National Rifle Association’s past support for Coffman to urge voters to reject him as the city’s next leader. It’s paid for by Giffords PAC, a group created by former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords that supports Omar Montgomery, a Democrat, in the open five-way race.

The group says its $50,000 digital ad buy for the 30-second spot is targeted at motivating registered Democrats who are occasional voters to participate in the Nov. 5 municipal election. Aurora voters who fit that profile will likely see the ad online.

Coffman questioned the value of the effort in a statement provided by a spokesperson, saying in part: “The last thing we need is national politics infecting our mayor’s race. Aurora deserves better.”

Now, let’s bear in mind that Colorado has preemption. Aurora isn’t likely to be a place where gun control will be up for discussion. Coffman’s previous support for gun rights is a non-issue for this race.

Yet Giffords is still dropping $50,000 is a sizeable chunk of change to drop on a local election. Especially when guns aren’t a key issue.

So what’s the deal?

Oh, that’s easy. Giffords, and anti-gunners in general, are petty. Coffman dared to oppose them, so now they want to make it so he can never hold a political office again. They want to destroy a man’s political career completely because he had the temerity to disagree with them on a civil right.

That’s all this is about.

Giffords isn’t making the claim that guns are a pivotal issue in the Aurora mayoral race. They’re not even pretending that to be the case. Nope. This is about Coffman’s stance on an issue while he held an office he no longer holds. They even admit it.

“We are fully aware of the fact that Mike Coffman is probably using this as a stepping stone to get back into higher office,” Giffords political director Joanna Belanger said in an interview, “and we want to make sure he is sort of cut off at the feet to do that. And we want to make sure someone like Omar is put on a trajectory to move forward.”

So it’s personal. Coffman disagreed with them at one time so they want to destroy a man’s career based on that issue in the distant past.

This is pettiness, plain and simple. It wasn’t enough they kicked them man hard enough that he went from running for Congress to running for mayor. Nope. Even that must be destroyed.

Absolutely pathetic.

Always remember that no matter what, these people will hold a grudge against you. It’s not enough for them to beat you, they have to break you as well.

They would do well to remember that two can play that game.