Despite passing both houses of the legislature with unanimous support of Republicans, inquiries made to the GOP's gubernatorial candidates reveal a wider range of reaction to the controversial "guns in restaurants" bill vetoed by Gov. Phil Bredesen on Thursday.

Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons has shown the most opposition among the four major candidates, although he stops short of saying he would have mimicked Gov. Bredesen in vetoing the legislation.

Gibbons spokesman Joe Hall told NashvillePost.com Gibbons is "adamantly opposed" to guns in bars and restaurants and has said so publicly.

"Gibbons says guns and alcohol don't mix. He also believes it was wrong to dismiss bar and restaurant owners – a group that opposes gun carry into establishments," Hall wrote in an e-mail.

Indeed, Gibbons has not been shy in his opposition, telling a group of conservative bloggers in January that he was opposed to such legislation. The only reason Gibbons would not have vetoed the legislation, reports the Memphis Flyer's Jackson Baker, is due to the virtual certainty of a legislative override.

This comes in stark contrast to the official Tennessee Republican Party position verbalized by outgoing party chair Robin Smith. Calling the governor's move a "slap in the face to law-abiding citizens," Smith wants the veto overridden immediately.

"Tennessee has one of the highest rates of violent crime of any state in the nation and its two largest cities are ranked in the top 10 for violent crime. Allowing certified, trained citizens with carry permits to carry their weapons more places in public would add a measure of protection and defense against violent crime and criminals," Smith said in a statement.

Another candidate, Mayor Bill Haslam of Knoxville, who has had his own issues with gun rights advocates over his previous membership in New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg's "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" group, was less than strident in his support of the bill, indicating support for the legislation in one of its previous incarnations.

"[Haslam] would have prefer legislation that offers business owners the opportunity to opt in, instead of presenting them only with the chance to opt out," said spokesman Jeremy Harrell.

Rep. Zach Wamp, also a contender for the nomination, has no such preference.

“There can only be one Governor at a time, but if I had been Governor, I would have signed the bill," said Wamp.

The final candidate, Lt. Gov. Ramsey, voted for the bill and has pledged to spearhead the effort to override the governor's veto.