SPRINGFIELD - Signaling an aggressive start to his re-election campaign, Gov. Rod Blagojevich keynoted a rally Thursday aimed straight at the state's powerful gun lobby.

Just two days after winning the Democratic nomination for the 2006 general election, Blagojevich called on the General Assembly to approve an assault weapons ban over the objections of the National Rifle Association.

He pointed to the recent slayings of two Chicago girls, Starkesia Reed and Siretha White, who died from wounds inflicted by stray gunfire in the Englewood neighborhood.

"There's no reason not to do it, unless you are afraid of the NRA," the governor said. "I don't think it's a hard decision. In fact, it's really an easy decision."

Although the deaths have served as a rallying point, the ban still faces an uphill fight because of the reluctance among many downstate Democratic lawmakers to get in the crosshairs of the Illinois State Rifle Association, especially in an election year.

Senate President Emil Jones, a Chicago Democrat, has said he doesn't want to put vulnerable lawmakers on the spot by calling the weapons ban for a vote this spring.

"The question is, 'Do we have enough votes to cover it?' It's been up before, and I see what has happened in the past," Jones said. "That's a tough vote."

The legislation, House Bill 2414, first needs to be approved in the House, where it failed by two votes last fall.

The legislation comes in response to the 2004 expiration of a federal ban on assault weapons. It would ban the manufacture, possession and delivery of semiautomatic assault weapons, assault weapons attachments, large capacity ammunition feeding devices and the .50-caliber rifle.

State Rep. Edward Acevedo, D-Chicago, who is sponsoring the measure, said Thursday that support for the ban has softened. In an attempt to generate support, he was planning to gather lawmakers who are wavering on the proposal for a meeting with the families of victims of gun violence.

The Illinois State Rifle Association held a counterpoint news conference Thursday, hoping to blunt the governor's message.

"The solution is simple: Enforce the laws on the books," said association President Richard Pearson.

Kurt Erickson can be reached at kurt.erickson@;lee.net or 782-1249.