The 1998 elections are over, and while the anti-gunners will no doubt try to claim victory, those opposed to our firearm freedoms are still in the minority in both houses of Congress. At the federal level, we maintained our pro-Second Amendment majorities in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Rabidly anti-gun Senator Carol Moseley-Braun (D-Ill.), who made gun control a major issue in her campaign, was defeated by NRA- PVF-endorsed candidate Peter Fitzgerald (R), and 17 NRA-PVF- endorsed Senate candidates were either returned to office or elected as new Senators. Additionally, 230 endorsed candidates in the House of Representatives won their races. While the end result shows no real change in the pro-Second Amendment majority in either chamber of Congress, the U.S. Senate will be the new home of Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). We can be sure that he will continue to promote his same rabid gun ban agenda in the Senate, thus reaffirming his status as the nation's leading gun ban advocate. As an individual, he now wields more power in the Senate, but he may need some time in getting accustomed to how things operate in the upper chamber of Congress. His tenure will undoubtedly be marked with constant attacks on law-abiding gun owners. We can anticipate that his efforts will begin any day, coordinated with the Clinton-Gore Administration and their Senate allies, as strategists work to deflect the public's attention from President Clinton's current legal problems by focusing on "gun control."

      Gun owners fared especially well at the state level. Gubernatorial candidates endorsed by NRA-PVF won 22 out of 28 races, and three pro-gun governors who were not endorsed were also victorious. Nine out of the 10 most populous states now have pro-Second Amendment governors, and every NRA-PVF-endorsed gubernatorial candidate who ran on a pro-right-to-carry platform was elected. Overall, 36 states now have governors who support our right to keep and bear arms, representing a net gain of two pro-gun governors. NRA-ILA's goal in the coming years will be to promote right to carry in all 50 states. State legislative results, which involve thousands of races, are still coming in, but "success" appears to be the operative word to describe NRA involvement in these races, as well.

      NRA was also involved with several ballot initiatives. In Wisconsin, voters overwhelmingly approved a right to keep and bear arms amendment to their state constitution by a margin of 76% to 24%. In Alaska, voters rejected an anti-hunting initiative 63% to 37%, and Ohio voters rejected another anti-hunting initiative 61% to 39%. Meanwhile, Minnesota voters passed an amendment to their state's constitution that recognizes hunting and fishing as valuable parts of their heritage, and calls for their preservation. It passed on a 77% to 23% vote. And in Utah, the initiative requiring a supermajority (2/3) of votes by the people in order to pass an anti-hunting initiative on the ballot passed on a 53% to 47% vote. Unfortunately, voters in Florida approved Constitution Revision 12, which allows counties to establish waiting periods and/or background check regulations, in addition to existing state laws that already provide for a criminal records check and waiting period. Also, California passed an anti-trapping ballot initiative by a narrow margin.

      With the results of the elections being fairly mixed across the country, it is hard to speculate what, if anything, November 3 said about the feelings of the American electorate. A national post-election poll of more than 1,200 voters, however, indicated that Americans, in general, support the views and goals of the NRA, which is consistent with previous surveys on the same issues. For example, 80% of the voters agreed that the U.S. Constitution guarantees an individual the right to keep and bear arms. When asked to choose between two hypothetical candidates, one of whom supports "stricter gun control laws," and the other supporting "stricter punishment for criminals," 68% chose the candidate supporting stricter punishment, while only 28% selected more gun laws.

      Our thanks go out to all the pro-Second Amendment supporters who worked to ensure that the gun-owning community's voices were heard on November 3. Now that the elections are behind us, it is time to start redoubling our efforts for 2000, when the gun owning community will have the opportunity to further increase our pro-Second Amendment majorities in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, as well as elect a President who will support our right to keep and bear arms. NRA-ILA's Grassroots Division will continue to work to improve its Election Volunteer Coordinator (EVC) Program, and we will also work to expand our network of Grassroots Volunteers. The more Second Amendment activists who get involved with our efforts, the better our chances of driving a stake through the heart of the anti-gun, anti-freedom movement. Please call us at 1-800-392-8683 to let us know how we can work together to protect, promote, and defend our rights.

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This information is provided as a service of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, Fairfax, VA.

This and other information on the Second Amendment and the NRA is available at: http://WWW.NRA.Org