Replacing the NRA: New Gun Rights Groups

Chances are you’ve heard about the NRA’s former CEO, Wayne LaPierre, resigning from his post last week. LaPierre’s exit comes at a time where the NRA’s future is hanging in the balance, and things aren’t looking particularly promising.

As we gear up for the possibility of a future where the NRA is no longer the big kid on the block in terms of pro-gun political organizations, we need to consider who will replace them. Although they may not be household names like the NRA, a few groups are poised to pick up where they left off. Let’s look at a few of them.

What’s Happening With the NRA?

First of all, let’s address the elephant in the room. What exactly is happening with the NRA right now?

There’s actually a pretty simple answer to that. Key members of the NRA’s leadership, including CEO Waynne LaPierre, were caught stealing from the organization. That launched an investigation into the organization by New York State Attorney General Letitia James. Although James originally wanted the court system to disband the NRA, a judge ruled that wasn’t possible in 2022.

That brings us to last week, when LaPierre quit his job as head of the NRA after 30 years. He’s left the organization in quite a predicament.

“This is, on a lot of levels, very existential for the NRA,” Seth Perlman, a nonprofit attorney said. “If they lose this case, it’s going to be very difficult for the same people to reestablish a new organization.”

In other words, it’s going to be very difficult for the NRA or anyone associated with it to continue operations.

Up and Coming Gun Rights Groups

So, what kind of organizations will be picking up where the NRA left off? Let’s take a look at two of the top contenders right now: the Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC).

Gun Owners of America

Described by Ron Paul as “the only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington, the GOA is probably the biggest gun rights organization in the country after the NRA. The organization is vocally anti-NRA, and presents itself as an alternative lobbying organization that looks out for the interests of gun owners nationwide.

One of the GOA’s main objectives is to teach its members. To that end, it puts out educational materials like Congressional Scorecards (where the GOA ranks sitting members of congress on their 2A stance) and voters’ guides (to help citizens elect pro-gun candidates in local, state, and national elections.

Firearms Policy Coalition

Founded in 2013, the FPC was formed as a direct response to the NRA. While it doesn’t have the same level of name recognition as the GOA, the FPC’s lawyers have been hard at work filing lawsuits against what they call unconstitutional gun restrictions like state-level Assault Weapon Bans.

On its website, the group states that its main goal is to restore the essential right to keep and bear arms in the United States. In their ideal world, they state that “all non-dangerous adults in the United States can freely exercise … the right to keep and bear arms without fear or risk of arrest, prosecution, or state persecution.”

To do that, the FPC has taken aim at 3 main tasks:

• Eliminate laws that ban citizens from lawfully acquiring firearms that they can currently possess under federal law. In practice, this means they file lawsuits against states that restrict weapon features like semi-auto fire or magazine capacity.
• Repeal laws that restrict when, where, and how someone can carry a weapon.
• Ensure that citizens can legally make guns at home for personal use.

Final Thoughts

The NRA is an extremely polarizing force even within the firearms community. While some gun enthusiasts revere the organization, others loathe it. Unfortunately, the NRA has become increasingly ineffective throughout the course of LaPierre’s corruption investigation and now, it looks like the ship may be sinking. Hopefully, these new groups can pick up the pieces