How The NRA Uses Its Political Clout: An Early Lesson In Oklahoma
Rep. Mike Synar, a Democrat, had the National Rifle Association's backing in 1980. But by 1994, his positions had changed, and so had the NRA's. Here's how the group worked to defeat him.
There was a time when the National Rifle Association was known primarily for promoting gun safety and advocating for gun ownership for hunting and home protection.
But that seems a long time ago.
It still does those things, to be sure, but these days the NRA is far more recognizable as an uncompromising political force, aggressively defending its interpretation of the 2nd Amendment, while working to defeat any and all politicians it views as its enemy.
It's a transition that took place over several decades, but one race in the 1990s in the northeast corner of Oklahoma can be seen as an early indication of
