Even as US mass shootings continue, 2024 Republican hopefuls back NRA: Why is the gun lobby so powerful?

Another day in the United States witnessed another mass shooting – this time at a sweet 16th birthday party in Alabama.

Four people have been left dead including a high school senior and 28 injured in the city of Dadeville, which is 92 kilometers northeast of Montgomery, Alabama.

That same day a shooting in Kentucky’s Louisville left two dead and four injured – this just days after a gunman at a bank killed five employees.

And where did the 2024 Republican hopefuls including Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, and Nikki Haley spend their weekend?

At the National Rifle Association Convention in Indiana – vowing to stand up for guns.

Let’s take a closer look at why the US gun lobby is so powerful:

What is it?

Founded by Civil War veterans in 1871, the NRA calls itself “America’s longest-standing civil rights organisation.”

The NRA, which claims to have an estimated five million members, is arguably America’s most powerful and high-profile lobby.

It is headed up by its controversial CEO and spokesperson Wayne LaPierre.

LaPierre, who was re-elected CEO in May, during Saturday’s convention slammed ‘gun-hating politicians’ and warned that his group could ‘end their careers’.

“Gun-hating politicians should never go to bed unafraid of what this association and all of our millions of members can do to their political careers,” LaPierre was quoted as saying by The Independent.

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Wayne LaPierre says at the NRA event that "gun hating politicians should never go to bed unafraid of what this association and all of our millions of members can do to their political careers" 😳 pic.twitter.com/UzQSHJkZU4

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 14, 2023

How powerful is it?

When it comes to politics, it is extremely powerful.

Its endorsements – it usually assigns lawmakers grades from A+ to F – are thought to be the difference between a campaign winning or going down in defeat (particularly Republican campaigns but also in ‘purple states’).

The BBC quoted US research group OpenSecrets as saying that the NRA had spent more than $140 million to elect pro-gun candidates since 2010.

It spent $4.2m on lobbying in 2021 alone, the group added.

Little wonder then that an assortment of Republicans took the opportunity this weekend to make a play for its endorsement.

Trump in his speech argued that mass shootings are “not a gun problem”, as per Hindustan Times.

“It’s a scandal and a tragedy that year after year, Democrats in Washington continue to hold common-sense school safety measures hostage to their radical gun control agenda, which in virtually all cases would do nothing to prevent attacks by demented and disturbed individuals,” Trump claimed.

Trump, in fact, vowed to do away with gun laws, said he would let teachers carry firearms and have security guards “at the entrance of every school in America.”

Others were more than happy to kiss the ring.

In fact, South Dakota governor Kristi Noem claimed that her granddaughter, just two, has both a shotgun and a rifle already, as per The Independent.

Influence waning?

However, some experts argue its powers are on the wane.

According to BBC, its membership is closer to around three million.

It also took in $97 million in membership fees in 2022 – a decrease of more than 40 per cent from 2018.

The NRA is also in a fight for its existence with New York Attorney-General Letitia James.

James sued the NRA in August 2020, alleging executives diverted tens of millions of dollars for lavish personal trips, no-show contracts for associates and other questionable expenditures. The NRA chief LaPierre and three others who have worked for the organization were also sued.

The NRA countersued, alleging James — who once called the NRA a “terrorist organization” — was motivated by political hostility.

The group, which is headquartered in Virginia, filed for bankruptcy protection in New York (where it was chartered as a non-profit) in January 2022.

However, it is important to note that despite a poll in February showing that Americans’ dissatisfaction with US gun laws increased to 63 per cent – a seven point increase over the past year – politicians on both sides of the aisle remain wary of directly challenging the NRA.

This, despite the country witnessing 146 mass shootings and 14 mass murders in 2023 with 4,900 deaths and nearly 9,000 injuries.

With inputs from agencies

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