Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

2016 Begins

Friday, February 5, 2016

2016 Begins

The 2016 presidential campaign is now officially underway, with the completion of the Iowa caucuses last Monday evening.

First the numbers.  On the GOP side, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz finished first, with 28% of the vote, Donald Trump finished second with 24%, and Florida Senator Marco Rubio came in a close third with 23%.  Cruz won 8 delegates, Trump and Rubio won 7 apiece (three other candidates split the remaining 5 delegates.) It has been reported that the turnout for the GOP caucuses was a historic high.

For the Democrats it was the slimmest advantage to Hillary Clinton, winning just two more delegates than Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.  Interestingly, in 6 precincts the Democrat outcome was decided by a coin toss, which somehow Hillary Clinton won each time. Unlike on the GOP side, turnout was down heavily for the Democrats, with 25% less participation than in 2008, the last race with a contested outcome.

But when it comes to presidential politics, the basic facts never tell the whole story.

First there is the expectations game.  There is no doubt that Hillary Clinton was the big loser in this regard.  After all, this was supposed to be the beginning of a coronation for her.  The Clinton machine was supposed to clear the field and run unheeded to the nomination.  But we’ve heard that before.  The fact that she was unable to defeat a little known (at least until a few months ago) Senator is a major setback for her campaign and sounds ominously similar to 2008.  This is especially true when you consider that Sanders currently has a double-digit lead in New Hampshire, which holds the first primary next Tuesday.

Additionally, the forgotten Democratic candidate, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley dropped out of the race after only receiving 0.6% of the vote and earning no delegates.  While O’Malley tried to make his run on his opposition to gun owners’ rights and his contempt for the NRA, he never gained any visible support from this gambit.

Of course, Mrs. Clinton has made her complete opposition to the Second Amendment rights of Americans a central part of her campaign as well, even attacking NRA-PVF “D” rated Sanders for not being sufficiently anti-gun. Clearly for Clinton, the only gun rights that are acceptable are none at all.

In a related story, in the days running up to the caucuses, Clinton attacked the NRA for supporting lowering the age for handgun possession.  Problem is, as is her norm, Clinton got it wrong.  What she was talking about is a NRA-supported bill in the Iowa legislature that would allow temporary possession of a handgun for those under 21 while under direct supervision by an adult. This would allow parents and guardians to train young people and provide recreational and sporting opportunities to future shooters.  One has to assume that Hillary Clinton opposes such training, but that is hardly a surprise when you recall that she supports British and Australian style gun bans and confiscation.

If Hillary had actually investigated the matter instead of taking another opportunity to blindly attack NRA, she could have learned that the bill is the brainchild of a Iowa father who wants nothing more than to share the shooting sports with his 11 and 12 year-old daughters. But it does not help Clinton’s anti-gun narrative if she can’t blame the NRA.

Perhaps the most important takeaway from the Iowa caucuses is that Hillary Clinton is not the juggernaut that she wants us to believe.  She might not even be the nominee.

Now the process moves on to New Hampshire where a new set of expectations are in place.  Stay tuned.

TRENDING NOW
NRA Statement on President Trump’s Executive Order Protecting Second Amendment Rights

News  

Second Amendment  

Friday, February 7, 2025

NRA Statement on President Trump’s Executive Order Protecting Second Amendment Rights

Today, the White House announced a new Executive Order to protect and expand the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans. This is the first action taken by President Donald J. Trump to carry through ...

CMP Resumes 1911 Pistol Sales, Offers Streamline Process and Incentives

News  

Monday, February 3, 2025

CMP Resumes 1911 Pistol Sales, Offers Streamline Process and Incentives

One day before Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States, he held a Make America Great Again rally in Washington, D.C., where he spoke to more than 20,000 energized supporters ...

The Hearing Protection Act Introduced in the 119th Congress

News  

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

The Hearing Protection Act Introduced in the 119th Congress

U.S. Representative Ben Cline (R-VA-06) and U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) recently reintroduced the Hearing Protection Act (H.R. 404/S. 364) in the 119th Congress. This commonsense legislation will give gun owners and hunters the opportunity to ...

NFA Prosecution Shows ATF Still Determined to Imprison Americans for Braced Pistols

News  

Monday, February 10, 2025

NFA Prosecution Shows ATF Still Determined to Imprison Americans for Braced Pistols

Documents filed in an ongoing prosecution for illegal possession of a short-barreled rifle are raising new concerns about ATF’s enforcement policy concerning pistols with attached stabilizing braces. 

Going, Going… Gone? Privacy and Gun Owner Data Security in California

News  

Monday, February 10, 2025

Going, Going… Gone? Privacy and Gun Owner Data Security in California

Where does privacy go to die? For gun owners and concealed carry applicants and permit holders in the Golden State, the answer must surely be California.

DNC Goes All-In on Gun Control

News  

Monday, February 10, 2025

DNC Goes All-In on Gun Control

A couple weeks ago, we wrote about anti-gun activist David Hogg campaigning to be a Vice Chair for the Democratic National Committee (DNC).  We (somewhat) jokingly endorsed his candidacy, as it would make abundantly clear that ...

Colorado: Senate Delays Vote on Semi-Auto Ban A Second Time

Friday, February 7, 2025

Colorado: Senate Delays Vote on Semi-Auto Ban A Second Time

For the second week in a row, the State Senate has postponed the floor vote for Senate Bill 25-003, the near all-encompassing semi-automatic ban

New Mexico: Anti-Gun Extremists Introduce Sweeping Gun Ban

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

New Mexico: Anti-Gun Extremists Introduce Sweeping Gun Ban

As they have tried in the past, anti-gun radicals in the New Mexico Senate have introduced Senate Bill 279, the "GOSAFE Act," a near all-encompassing ban on semi-automatic and NFA firearms.

Legislation Introduced to Protect Veterans’ Second Amendment Rights

News  

Friday, February 7, 2025

Legislation Introduced to Protect Veterans’ Second Amendment Rights

The Chairmen of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs, U.S. Representative Mike Bost (R-IL-12) and Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), as well as Senator John Kennedy (R-LA), have reintroduced the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act ...

FIND Act Introduced in the 119th Congress

News  

Friday, February 7, 2025

FIND Act Introduced in the 119th Congress

U.S. Representative Jack Bergman (R-MI-01) recently reintroduced H.R. 45, the Firearm Industry Non-Discrimination Act (FIND Act). U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) also introduced a companion bill in the U.S. Senate (S. 137). This important legislation would ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

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.