Where Do Republican Presidential Hopefuls Stand on the Second Amendment?

I know this may come as a surprise to some, but I'm something of a Second Amendment absolutist. I take the clear text of the Second Amendment at its word:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

I think that "...shall not be infringed" means precisely that. I also apply a politician's stance on the Second Amendment as something of a litmus test; I don't trust any politician who doesn't trust me with firearms.

That's why I found this survey from Firearms News to be interesting.

Republican presidential hopefuls’ intent on knocking former President Donald Trump out of his lead position in the polls are presenting themselves as the right candidate to take on Joe Biden – or whomever the Democrats run with – in the 2024 election. Firearms News will be exploring where these contenders stand on the Second Amendment, in both a separate analysis documenting actions, positions, and statements, and via a questionnaire, the subject of this article, designed to produce unequivocal answers.

Read the entire survey at the link; it's pretty extensive and hits all the serious points, especially if you're a Second Amendment absolutist like me. While the survey is too long to go all the way through here, I thought I'd cherry-pick a few questions I really want to see the GOP candidates answer, although I suspect they won't.

So, without further delay:

What is the intent of the 2nd Amendment?

To recognize — not to grant, not to allow — the rights of the American people to keep and bear arms.

What are you prepared to do about ATF effectively turning rules into laws? What are your thoughts on “ghost guns”? Bump stocks? Stabilizing braces? Forced reset triggers? Should Congress be able to ban those if ATF can’t?

I'm prepared to de-fund and disband the ATF. There is no constitutional authorization for its existence. And, no.

Do you have a concealed carry permit? Do you support or oppose any licensing requirements to own or carry firearms? Does the right to bear arms include the right for any peaceable citizen to carry them openly or concealed without a permit?

Yes. Oppose. Yes.

Do you believe that citizens should have the right to personally own military-grade weapons for defense against a possible future tyrannical government and in the event of foreign invasion?

No, I don't believe they should have the right. I think they do have the right, which the government illegitimately infringes upon.

Do you agree with “enforce existing gun laws” or “repeal existing gun laws”? What specific gun laws will you work to get repealed?

Repeal. All the way back to — and including — the 1934 National Firearms Act. They are all infringements.

If elected, will you back your words of support for firearms rights up with consistent actions? How?

I think de-funding and disbanding the ATF would be a good start. The President is limited by the Constitution, of course, but the ATF comes under the Executive Branch. I would encourage Congress to repeal legislation, but that would involve having solid pro-Second Amendment majorities in both houses. Politics is the art of the possible, and I would do all that is, in fact, possible, given the allowances and restrictions of the Constitution.

It will be interesting to see if any of the candidates answer the survey. But sooner or later, they'll be fielding some Second Amendment questions, and like me, plenty of pro-gun types will be listening to their answers and bearing them in mind during the primary season.

Check out some more RedState Second Amendment coverage at the links below, and stay tuned for my upcoming Sunday Gun Day posts!