This feature appears in the June ‘17 issue of NRA America’s 1st Freedom, one of the official journals of the National Rifle Association.
While most of the country is enjoying a brief respite from elections, my home state of Virginia is getting ready to undergo our off-year elections for state office. I have no doubt that anti-gun advocates, emboldened by Hillary Clinton’s win in the state last November, are going to pour a ton of money and resources into the races across the commonwealth. Michael Bloomberg spent big here two years ago in an attempt to flip the state Senate. He’ll be back, and I’m sure he’ll be backing whatever Democrat gets the gubernatorial nomination as well. Both Tom Perriello and Ralph Northam seem to be running away from their moderate pasts as quickly as possible and embracing gun control as a campaign issue.
Virginia gun owners and Second Amendment supporters will be ready, though. Two years ago, we defeated Bloomberg’s attempt to buy the state Senate. He might have billions of dollars, but he doesn’t get to cast a single vote.
[Bloomberg] might have billions of dollars, but he doesn’t get to cast a single vote.But we do. We can volunteer our time and financial resources and get involved in local campaigns. We can mobilize friends and family members to vote on Election Day. And we will.
Our biggest enemy in Virginia isn’t a horde of anti-gun zealots massing to take our rights away; it’s complacency. If we’re complacent, then it doesn’t take a million anti-gun activists to threaten our right to keep and bear arms. They only need a well-funded, out-of-state billionaire and his campaign apparatus. I’ll be doing my part this year to ensure that when Election Day arrives, gun owners and NRA members across Virginia are voting freedom first.
To learn more about how you can make a difference, click here.
Cam Edwards is the host of “Cam & Co.,” which airs live 2-5 p.m. EST on NRATV and midnight EST on SiriusXM Patriot 125. He lives with his family on a small farm near Farmville, Va. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @camedwards.
