In the past several elections, National Rifle Association members have become the most united, most freedom-loving, most effective vote-producing machine in history. With critical control of the Senate up for grabs this November, it`s time to Vote Freedom First again . . .
Election Day 2002 is likely to break records and make history in the annals of congressional elections.
Never before has so much hinged on such a small number of swing voters in a handful of small and medium-sized states. Never before have so few voters had the power to determine national policy for so many.
And despite politicians` claims to the contrary, possibly never before have gun owners had such a decisive role to play in the preservation of their freedoms as they will on Nov. 5.
Neutralizing Gun Owners
Right now the national media, anti-gun politicians and the gun-ban lobby are waging a concerted effort to convince voters that in this year`s elections, the gun issue is a non-ssue.
For them, the memory of how Al Gore`s anti-gun positions cost him electoral victories in Arkansas, West Virginia, his home state of Tennessee, and eventually the White House--still stings.
This year, with the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives so closely divided--and with many key races occurring in pro-gun states-- anti-gun politicians are desperately trying to defuse the pro-gun vote by fooling gun owners into thinking our rights are secure.
They want you to believe that there is no threat to the Second Amendment. They want to convince gun owners that there is no enemy to rally against and defeat. In short, they want to lullaby gun owners who voted freedom first in 2000 into sitting out these elections--or even voting another issue first--so they can continue their activities with impunity.
Not unlike the proverbial wolf in sheep`s clothing, politicians who`ve built their careers waging war on the right to keep and bear arms now insist--even with a straight face--that they support the Second Amendment, that gun bans are no longer part of their agenda and that they deserve gun owners` votes.
But saying that doesn`t make it true.
Voting Records Contradict Political Rhetoric
Last fall, in his successful bid to become governor of Virginia, Mark Warner actively appealed to gun owners` groups and sportsmen. Breaking with the Democratic leadership`s almost institutionalized embrace of gun control as a campaign gimmick, Warner denied any anti-gun agenda and embraced pro-gun positions. It worked, and Warner won.
Now anti-gun politicians from both parties are adopting Warner`s stay-away-from-the-gun-control-issue strategy as far as campaigning is concerned. But whereas Warner had never held elective office before--and so voters had no record to depend on--many of the politicians now donning hunter-orange and posing with awkwardly-held shotguns are actually just cleverly camouflaged gun-ban extremists.
So what should gun owners believe? Campaign promises or Capitol Hill proposals? Press conference soundbites or backroom betrayals? Campaign rhetoric or the congressional record?
One fact is clear: No gun owner can believe both. Because in many of these key races, the chasm between word and deed is utterly unbridgeable. Many of the candidates running from the gun issue during campaign season have been quick to vote for any restriction on Second Amendment rights on the House or Senate floor--they`ve just stopped bragging about it so they can try to fool their constituents.
Make no mistake: Too much is at stake this fall to accept rhetoric over real votes. Right now the U.S. Senate is nearly divided down the middle for gun owners, with an unfriendly leadership controlling legislation. This is a very precarious position for freedom. If anti-gun forces increase their power in the U.S. Senate in this election by even a single vote, American gun owners could be forced to bear the consequences for generations to come.
While every race in every state holds a stake in our future freedom and deserves vigorous attention from liberty`s defenders, several races will be particularly important this fall.
South Dakota: The New National Divide?
One of the closest and most hotly contested U.S. Senate matchups this year is in South Dakota between Democrat Tim Johnson and Republican John Thune. It`s a battle that some see as a rematch between the forces aligned behind George W. Bush and Al Gore two years ago--with liberal, urban, anti-gun interests on one side, and rural, traditional, pro-freedom South Dakota values on the other.
While the race is expected to be a close one, the candidates couldn`t be much more different--especially on the topic of private ownership of firearms.
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Tim Johnson has cast dozens of anti-gun votes in the House and Senate over the past decade. He voted to prohibit hunting on federal lands in the Mojave Desert and in Virginia. He voted for waiting periods for firearm buyers, even in states where the National Instant Check System could clear or reject purchasers immediately. He also voted to gut the Defense Department`s Civilian Marksmanship Program, a program enjoyed by thousands of law-abiding sportsmen. He`s voted to shut down gun shows and register lawful gun owners.
From a broader perspective, in recent years Johnson`s anti-freedom stances--from supporting gun bans, to opposing John Ashcroft as attorney general--could just be a disturbing trend. A more real explanation: He is more interested in the Washington, D.C., establishment than South Dakota values.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, 82 percent of Johnson`s itemized individual contributions come from out-of-state donors. In fact, as of this spring, he ranked third on a list of Senate candidates receiving the greatest proportion of their money from out-of-state contributors. In contrast, John Thune receives most of his contributions from within South Dakota, and his record is one of integrity and fiscal responsibility in action. Thune also votes for freedom every time guns are in the legislative spotlight.
"This is one of the most important races in the country for gun owners this year," said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox. "South Dakota deserves at least one pro-gun vote in the U.S. Senate. John Thune has been a loyal and consistent defender of the rights of law-abiding gun owners and his election to the U.S. Senate is vital to our fight for freedom."
Missouri: Experience and Talent
Another critical U.S. Senate race for gun owners will be in Missouri, between Jim Talent and Jean Carnahan. And again, the differences between the candidates are clear and important, especially concerning the right to keep and bear arms.
Jean Carnahan never held elective office before being appointed a U.S Senator after her husband`s tragic death during the 2000 campaign. Jim Talent, on the other hand, brings a wealth of experience to the table. After serving eight years in the Missouri legislature, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served another eight years.
Talent`s experience, expertise and proven ability to get things done in Congress are a big plus in the "Show Me" state. With the nation at war, the eight-year veteran of the House Armed Services Committee offers invaluable intelligence on issues of national security while always protecting our personal freedoms.
| Monday, June 8, 2026 Anti-gun lawmakers and their gun control allies exploit menacing language to bolster their arguments against lawful arms: ordinary semi-automatic rifles and pistols become “weapons of war” and “assault weapons;” “large capacity magazines” actually refers to ... Monday, June 8, 2026 Last October, a judge in the Circuit Court for the City of Richmond ruled in the case Raul Wilson, Wyatt Lowman, Virginia Citizens Defense League, Gun Owners of America, Inc, and Gun Owners Foundation v. ... Friday, June 5, 2026 Today, the parties in the National Rifle Association’s challenge to Florida’s firearm waiting period law jointly filed an Offer of Judgment asking the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida to declare the ... Saturday, June 6, 2026 On Monday, June 8, the House Judiciary Committee will hear a bill that will force Keystone gun owners to keep their guns under lock and key or face the consequences. Monday, June 1, 2026 The fight to defend Second Amendment rights is not confined to Washington, D.C., or even to the halls of state capitals. Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. © 2026 National Rifle Association of America, Institute for Legislative Action. This may be reproduced. This may not be reproduced for commercial purposes. 11250 Waples Mill Rd. Fairfax, VA 22030 1-800-392-8683(VOTE) |
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