Gun Control loses at the ballot box, mostly

As the election returns came in on November 4 one thing was evident—the Second Amendment crushed gun control candidates in Senate and gubernatorial races around the country. 

In so doing, the Second Amendment annihilated the left's relentless claim that 90 percent of Americans support more gun control.

On the gubernatorial level, in Arizona, pro-Second Amendment candidate Doug Ducey (R) beat gun control candidate Fred DuVaul (D). And in Florida, pro-Second Amendment incumbent Rick Scott (R) beat gun control candidate Charlie Crist. These victories were enhanced by the fact that Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly endorsed DuVal and Giffords' gun control PAC gave $100,000 to Crist's campaign. The Second Amendment trumped their endorsement and their money. 

In Texas, NRA-endorsed gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott (R) won. In Maryland, NRA-endorsed gubernatorial candidate Larry Hogan (R) won. In Alabama, NRA-endorsed Governor Robert J. Bentley (R) won. In Wisconsin, NRA-endorsed Governor Scott Walker (R) won. In Michigan, NRA-endorsed Governor Rick Snyder (R) won. In Nevada, NRA-endorsed Governor Brian Sandval (R) won. In Ohio, NRA-endorsed Governor John R. Kasich (R) won. In Oklahoma, NRA-endorsed Governor Mary Fallin (R) won. In Wyoming, NRA-endorsed Governor Matt Mead (R) won. In Idaho, NRA-endorsed Governor Bruce Otter (R) won. In Kansas, NRA-endorsed Governor Sam Brownback (R) won. And in Maine, NRA-endorsed Governor Paul R. LePage (R) won against gun control candidate Michael Michaud (D). (Michaud was supported by Gabby Giffords.)

In Senate races, gun control Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) was defeated by NRA-endorsed Cory Gardner (R) and gun control Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) was defeated by NRA-endorsed Thom Tillis (R). In Kansas, NRA-endorsed Senator Pat Roberts (R) won. In Georgia, NRA-endorsed Senatorial candidate David Perdue (R) won. In Arkansas, NRA-endorsed Tom Cotton (R) won. And in West Virginia, NRA-endorsed Shelly Moore Capito (R) won, marking the first time that state has sent a Republican Senator to Washington DC in over five decades. 

The spotlight was also on the race between NRA-endorsed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and pro-gun control challenger Alison Grimes (D). McConnell won handily.  NRA-endorsed Senatorial candidate Joni Ernst (R-IA) also won. 


Gun control advocates may have finally found a path to victory in Washington state Tuesday, where voters approved a measure that would expand background checks to include gun shows and private firearm sales. Though similar laws have been passed in Colorado, Connecticut, and Maryland, the success of Washington’s initiative 594 marks the first measure approved by ballot referendum.

Meanwhile, Alabama voters soundly passed Amendment 3 to the state Constitution, a measure which specifies "that every citizen has a fundamental right to bear arms and that any restriction of this right would be subject to strict scrutiny." With nearly all votes counted, the measure prevailed with 72.5 percent in favor.