The Giffords gun control group is making a bold claim: that the gun‑rights lobby’s influence on the GOP has collapsed.
In a memo first sent to Politico, Giffords argues that Gun Owners of America, the National Association for Gun Rights, and the NRA did not run any ads supporting Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie. They say only $2,000 in PAC donations went toward his campaign and, aside from a few texts and emails, national gun‑rights groups offered no meaningful support.
The memo also claims that despite gun‑rights groups publicly warning they were “coming for” Sen. John Cornyn (R‑TX), none of them ran ads against him. Giffords says gun groups made only one donation — presumably to Cornyn’s opponent — and nothing more.
So what’s the message Giffords wants Republican candidates nationwide to hear?
There is no political cost to upsetting the gun lobby. You are free.”
According to Giffords, national gun‑rights organizations will not oppose Republicans in primaries, and there is no longer any political price for taking anti–Second Amendment positions.
But is that true?
First, remember the political environment: a Republican president and a Republican‑controlled House and Senate. Historically, that makes fundraising harder for gun‑rights groups. When the economy is tight, as it has been for years, donations to political organizations drop. And when Republicans control everything, donors often assume their rights are safe, which further depresses fundraising and limits political spending.
Second, federal gun control has been at a stalemate for years. That tends to make gun owners comfortable, sometimes too comfortable, and less worried that Congress will suddenly threaten their rights. Apathy grows when people don’t feel an immediate threat.
Meanwhile, gun‑rights victories have expanded at the state level. The fight has shifted away from Congress and toward legislatures where momentum is stronger, and wins are more frequent.
Still, gun owners would welcome it if the “fake Republicans” finally revealed themselves. If candidates want to run as anti‑Second Amendment, they should say so openly. Gun owners are more than ready to expose these phony “pro‑2A” politicians.
