What does the 2024 Presidential Election Mean for Gun Rights and Gun Control?  by John Elwood

The Republican nominee for President is former President Donald Trump.  During the run up to the 2016 presidential election, the National Rifle Association (NRA) endorsed Donald Trump on May 20, 2016.  He was endorse again in 2020 and, unsurprisingly, the NRA endorsed former President Donald Trump again on May 19, 2024, delivering Trump his third consecutive presidential endorsement.

What are former President Trump’s positions toward guns? 

Donald Trump has generally been aligned with pro-Second Amendment views.  During his political career, he has supported the rights of individuals to own and carry firearms, often emphasizing the importance of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution. 

Some key positions of his stance include opposition to gun control measures such as universal background checks.  Former President Trump believes there would be fewer casualties of mass shootings if potential victims had guns. Trump suggested addressing gun violence through improving mental health services rather than implementing more restrictive gun laws.  Finally, Trump promoted the idea of arming teachers and enhancing school security to prevent school shootings, rather than imposing stricter gun control measures. 

In a speech to the NRA, Trump vowed to protect gun owners’ rights saying, “we need it for safety because the bad guys aren’t giving up their guns.“  Also claiming Biden “is coming for your guns.” 

The Democratic nominee for President of the United States is Vice President Kamala Harris.  Harris was nominated after President Biden dropped out of the 2024 race against former President Donald Trump.  Harris is an extension of Biden when it comes to gun rights. 

Prior to serving as President Biden’s Vice President, Kamala Harris was a Senator from California from 2017-2021.  In 2017, Harris was rated the third most liberal senator after Senators Elizabeth Warren and New York’s Kirsten Gillibrand.  In 2018 Harris was rated the second most liberal senator behind Senator Warren, from Massachusetts. In 2019, Senator Harris was labeled the most liberal senator in the United State Senate.  You may notice a pattern!

What is Kamala’s policy toward guns?   Harris advocates for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.  She believes that limiting the size of magazines can help reduce the lethality of guns and decrease the potential for mass shootings.  Harris supports requiring universal background checks for all gun sales including private transactions and those at gun shows.  Harris also believes implementing red flag laws, which allow for the temporary removal, without due process, of firearms from individuals deemed a threat to themselves and others, is a good idea.

The two political parties could not be farther apart from their positions on guns, making the choice easy for those that are pro or anti 2nd Amendment. 

If you value the Second Amendment, the choice is clearly Donald Trump. 

If you favor losing your Second Amendment protected rights, the choice is Kamala Harris!

To all gun owners, please get out and VOTE during the presidential election.  Support the Second Amendment and YOUR right to keep and bear arms.