Get Ready! Campaign Season Is Here
Image: Adobe Stock
With Labor Day behind us, the “official” start of campaign season is here — which will advance at a breakneck pace through November 8 (less than 60 days away). As those reading this will already know: gun rights and the Second Amendment are most definitely on the ballot.
Congressional Democrats, buoyed by the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (House only), have made their intentions clear — whether or not these moves will come back to haunt them in November remains to be seen.
In preparation for what will be a busy season, NSSF released its 2022 Congressional Report Card — which graded all 430 sitting U.S. Representatives and 100 U.S. Senators on key legislation that impacts the firearms industry, Second Amendment rights and law-abiding citizens, hunters and target shooters.
“This nonpartisan scorecard reflects the voting record of each legislator. These grades indicate their public voting record as well as their sponsoring and co-sponsoring key legislation, their work on committees, letters signed to support issues and leadership to support our industry,” explained Larry Keane, NSSF SVP and general counsel.
U.S. Senators up for reelection this year that received an “A+” rating were Sens. John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.).
Consumers Continue Buying
A trend that started before the pandemic continued at the close of August: consumers are exercising their Second Amendment rights in droves. For the 37th month in a row — a streak that began Aug. 2019 — more than 1 million NSSF-adjusted checks were conducted. The Aug. 2022 total of 1,286,816 represents the third-strongest August on record (trailing 2020 [1,684,083] and 2021 [1,328,518]).
If these voters can be educated and activated to support gun rights — it will tip the scales in favor of pro-gun candidates. The onus is on us, as an industry, to educate employees, customers and other business partners. What’s worked for you? Let the SI team know: comments@shootingindustry.com.
