By: Teresa Mull

As America awaits the agonizingly slow results of the presidential election, we are happy to report that in several states, voters supported the Second Amendment and bolstered its influence at the local level.

In Illinois, Rock Island County residents voted 85 percent in favor of a ballot proposition that asked, “Should the Illinois General Assembly protect a citizen’s right to keep and bear arms as defined by the second amendment of the United States Constitution?”

Voters in Alabama approved Amendments 5 and 6, which appeared on the ballot as, “Relating to Franklin [and Lauderdale] County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to provide that a person is not liable for using deadly physical force in self-defense or in the defense of another person on the premises of a church under certain conditions.”

Despite the teachers union having spent $800,000 to campaign against Legislative Referendum 130, and gun control groups spending nearly $1.5 million, the initiative passed in Montana with 51 percent of the vote. LR 130 prevents local municipalities from having “any power that applies to or affects the right to keep or bear arms.”

GPM reported yesterday that our friend Lauren Boebert, the 33-year-old, gun-toting mother of four who owns Shooters Grill, where every waitress packs a gun, defeated her Democratic challenger with 51.1 percent of the vote to earn a seat in Colorado’s Third Congressional District.

Though they’re voted on mostly by local governments – it’s still good news for gun rights: counties and municipalities continue to declare themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries. In Idaho, the Nampa City Council voted 5-0 to declare the state’s second largest city a Second Amendment city, with a resolution that states:

“[T]he enactment of any legislation that would infringe upon the rights of the People to keep and bear arms and consider such laws to be unconstitutional and beyond lawful legislative authority.”

The Payson (Arizona) Town Council also just voted overwhelmingly to make Payson a 2A sanctuary.

And in Oregon, residents in Coos County await the results of Measure 6-181, which asked voters on the ballot this year if the county should adopt a Second Amendment sanctuary ordinance.

Dudley Brown, president of the National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR), in a message to supporters, noted that “Americans soundly rejected gun control” on Tuesday. We offer here some highlights from the victories NAGR and its supporters were able to accomplish:

*** Montana: Steve Bullock loses! (U.S. Senate)

U.S. Senator Steve Daines withstood a formidable challenge from former Governor Steve Bullock. Bullock is the anti-gun Governor who vetoed Constitutional Carry and has now paid the political price for his shenanigans by losing his bid for the U.S. Senate.

*** Montana: Greg Gianforte Wins! (Governor)

Replacing anti-gun Governor Steve Bullock is Greg Gianforte, who returned his NAGR Candidate Survey pro-gun and pledged to sign Constitutional Carry into law.

Montana is on the right path to becoming the nation’s 16th Constitutional Carry state!

*** Kentucky: Thomas Massie Wins! (CD-4)

Despite facing a primary challenger from anti-gunners earlier this year, Thomas Massie, chairman of the House Second Amendment Caucus and an NAGR member, cruised to victory.

*** Virginia: Nick Frietas – TBD (CD-7)

NAGR-PAC endorsed candidate Nick Frietas, who led the fight against anti-gun legislation in Virginia, might be on the verge of knocking off one of Nancy Pelosi’s gun control goons in this central Virginia pro-gun district.

However, this race is extremely close, and there are still ballots outstanding. We’re watching closely.

*** Texas: NAGR-PAC State House Gains!

The anti-gunners saw Texas as their crown jewel, but they failed to capture the Texas State House.

NAGR-PAC endorsed candidates Bryan Slaton, Jeff Cason, and Lacey Hull prevailed in their races, moving the State’s Republican legislative majority one more step in the direction of Constitutional Carry.

Also, Congressman Chip Roy withstood a challenge from viciously anti-gun Democrat Wendy Davis.

Teresa Mull ([email protected]) is editor of Gunpowder Magazine.