Gun Owners of America was in a heated confrontation with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who has announced his name in the race to succeed Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Gun Owners of America (GOA) federal affairs director Aidan Johnston said in a statement to Fox News Digital that Cornyn failed to uphold conservative values and instead compromised with Democrats on gun control legislation. Stated.
“Every time gun control gains momentum in Congress, Sen. John Cornyn is right there working on a ‘compromise’ with Democrats. That’s not conservative leadership, it’s capitulation!” Johnston said .
A crowd of candidates to replace McConnell appears in the Senate
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is seen at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, after the Senate voted against moving forward with a border security deal. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
GOA said Sen. Cornyn’s history on gun rights makes him “totally unsuitable” to serve as Senate minority leader.
“In the eyes of gun owners and everyone who values our freedoms, Texas’ record traitor is completely unfit to lead the Senate Republican Party,” Johnston said. .
Guns will be on display in the store during the Rod of Iron Freedom Festival on October 9, 2022 in Greeley, Pennsylvania. (Spencer Pratt/Getty Images)
Conservative gun rights groups said Cornyn helped pass a series of bills that were “serious violations” of the Second Amendment.
GOA singled out Cornyn over the Safer Communities Act of 2022, which he co-sponsored with Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy.
invoice Encouraging states to pass extreme risk protection laws, also known as “red flag” laws, that allow citizens and law enforcement to temporarily suspend access to firearms for people who threaten to commit violence. can apply to the court for a civil order to do so.
Mitch McConnell resigns as Republican leader
After gun rights advocates voiced Second Amendment concerns, Congress required states to include certain due process protections when applying for federal funding to implement red flag laws. Incorporated.
“Senator Cornyn has, among other things, bribed states to enact ‘red flag’ gun confiscation laws and passed the so-called bipartisan Safe Zones Act, which would create a de facto national waiting period for young people to purchase guns. “We have a responsibility to help pass “and create backdoor ATF rules to eliminate private sales of firearms,” Johnston said. “These are serious violations of the Second Amendment.”
“The best thing Sen. Cornyn can do for gun rights is join Mitch McConnell in retirement,” he said.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) arrives for a luncheon with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol on February 7, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The National Gun Rights Association, another conservative group, also opposed Cornyn’s bid to replace McConnell.
“Mr. Cornyn is the most anti-gun Republican in Congress,” said Dudley Brown, president of the National Gun Rights Association. “His sponsorship of ‘Fix NICS’ and proud role in passing the largest gun control bill in decades (Biden’s so-called Bipartisan Safe Communities Act) is offensive to law-abiding gun owners. is.”
“For the most anti-gun president in history to call anti-gun Republicans ‘reasonable’ should ring alarm bells in the minds of all law-abiding gun owners,” Brown added.
The gun group’s statement against Sen. Cornyn came after McConnell, 82, announced Wednesday his plans to step down from leadership after becoming the longest-serving leader in Senate history.
“I am asking my Republican colleagues to give me the opportunity to succeed Leader McConnell,” Cornyn, 72, said in a statement Thursday.
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With a growing number of potential successors, Cornyn is frequently mentioned as one of the “Three Johns” who are likely to lead the council next. The other two are Sens. John Thune, R.S.D., and John Barrasso, R-Wyo.
Sen. Cornyn’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
FOX News’ Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
