Opinion By Matt Manda
This year’s SHOT Show hosted the 4th Annual Governors’ Forum and by all accounts it was the most informative and successful forum yet.
Five of America’s most ardent supporters of the Second Amendment, and the firearm industry that provides law-abiding Americans the means and ability to exercise those Constitutional rights, joined together on one stage for an in-depth discussion in front of a jam-packed conference hall filled with SHOT Show attendees and media from across the country and around the world.
This year’s forum was moderated by Sean Davis, CEO and Co-Founder of The Federalist, who focused the discussion around the importance of the firearm industry to these governors’ states, the legislative landscape and what can and should be done to protect the industry from gun control special interests threatening the firearm and ammunition industry and Second Amendment rights.
This year’s panel of governors included Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo.
NSSF’s President and CEO Joe Bartozzi provided brief opening remarks to thank the governors for their time and demonstrating to SHOT Show attendees that the firearm industry really is a priority focus on their respective agendas. Following Bartozzi’s remarks, moderator Davis led a wide-ranging discussion where all the governors had valuable and insightful input.
Here’s a brief synopsis of key points from each governor. To view and watch the entire hour-long discussion, click here.
Manufacturing and Regulations
Davis kicked it off by asking Idaho Gov. Little what it is about the Gem State that makes it attractive to a growing firearm industry. Gov. Little didn’t waste a moment to make his pitch, specifically keying in on manufacturing.
“Affordable, consistent energy is a critical component for manufacturing, but also strategic minerals,” Gov. Little began. “I know we’re all particularly excited about the new Secretary of the Interior, who we all have a great relationship with and what’s going to take place. Because you’ve got to have energy, you’ve got to have transmission infrastructure, you’ve got to have critical minerals. But you’ve also got to have a regulatory environment to where entrepreneurs, existing businesses and new businesses can grow and foster.”
What happened on the twentieth [January 20, 2025] is going to put that all on steroids. This administration is incredibly interested in reshoring jobs and brining opportunity,” the governor summed up. “Idaho’s got the reputation as the least regulated state and all I can tell you is that helps small businesses.”
Recreational Target Shooting and Public Access
Davis turned to Wyoming Gov. Gordon to praise his leadership in recently signing into law legislation that expanded outdoor recreational shooting opportunities and increased public access to those resources. The availability of ranges for the public to utilize is critical to having a responsible, trained and knowledgeable gun-owning community.
Gov. Gordon praised the efforts he’s continued in his state to make it highly attractive for not just hunters but also recreational target shooters, as well as competitors. He highlighted the outdoor recreation fund they created to pull state and industry resources and stakeholders together to build a world-class recreational shooting sports complex and used the opportunity to thank stakeholders in attendance.
“A few of the folks that are here [at SHOT Show], in the industry, had a bit to do with it and others on the national stage and we’re putting together a really world-class complex, nothing like it, to attract long-range shooting, to pistols and everything in between. This is all so important,” Gov. Gordon touted.
The governor also made mention of the importance of recreational shooting and hunting to the full-picture understanding of successful wildlife management and conservation efforts and used the opportunity to add a comedic dig to his governor neighbor to the south in Colorado and their plans to reintroduce wolves.
The Next Generation
Davis went from speaking to bright red state governors to one that’s a little more shaded purple and asked Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen how he approaches Second Amendment issues differently than some of his colleagues with whom he shared the stage.
“If you really think about it, people that live on the land vote red. And people that get immersed in concrete jungle of the city, get lost. Doesn’t make them bad people, but they don’t have to be thinking critically about things. They go up and down the elevator and milk comes from the grocery store. They see things differently,” Gov. Pillen started. “So in Nebraska – and for all of us who believe in carrying our arms and in hunting, we’ve got to do more to get kids from cities. Because they’ve got no exposure to these things.”
“It’s only two generations lost… I do believe we have a task ahead of us. Our next four years are going to kick tail, but if we don’t stay engaged… we’re going to get our butts kicked in four years. I don’t know about all you, but I don’t want to go backwards… I don’t think anybody in this room likes to be told what to do,” the governor warned.
‘There Is Hope’
Davis kicked it over to Montana Gov. Gianforte, who he praised for just winning re-election by trouncing firearm industry pariah and paid gun control lobbyist Ryan Busse. Gov. Gianforte described one of his priorities during the campaign was to highlight his opponent and use that to give the voters what they want.
“One of the things that I did was say, ‘If I’m going to have to run against a gun-grabber, then I’m going to give away a gun,’” the governor described. “And so I did a statewide lottery and on election night, I pulled a name out of a hat and gave a beautiful 7mm hunting rifle to a grandmother in East Helena. And she loved it!”
The governor noted just how quickly things can change and described the big shift Montana has experienced in just the past 13 years. Today, the governor noted, all nine state-wide elected offices are held by pro-Second Amendment Republicans. In 2012, seven or the eight state-wide elected offices in Montana were held by Democrats.
“For those of you in bright blue states – there is hope,” Gov. Gianforte stated. “Montana is now home to over 150 firearms and ammunition manufacturers. We have more per capita than any other state in the country. We’re here at SHOT Show to thank the vendors who are investing in Montana – and to recruit more. Because we love our Second Amendment and we love our outdoor lifestyle.”
Banking Priorities
Oklahoma Gov. Stitt answered a question from Davis about what he is placing as a priority during the current session and the governor wasted no time in laying out his plans to protect the firearm and ammunition industry from financial discrimination.
“The community banks, they’re not going to discriminate against the firearm industry but it’s the big, national banks. The way you get the national banks in line is you pass a law that says they cannot do business with the state if they’re going to also discriminate against gun manufacturers,” Gov. Stitt described. “We’ve been trying to get that done for the past few years and we had one senator who was holding that up. So we got involved in that primary and took that senator out… so we’re going to get that done we believe this year.”
Gratitude for the Industry
Nevada Gov. Lombardo was an especially meaningful participant in the NSSF SHOT Show Governors’ Forum as it all takes place in his state. The governor spent his first term with a Democratic-controlled state legislature, both in the General Assembly and the Senate. And Democrats were salivating over the prospects of winning veto-proof supermajorities on Election Day 2024 but failed to do so. Republicans prevented supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature after winning 15 seats in the 42-member Assembly, a gain of one seat, and eight seats in the 21-member state Senate. It was a very welcomed electoral development.
“I want to thank the owners, operators and facilitators of the SHOT Show for continuing to come to the state of Nevada. And I said it last year the last time I participated in this panel, as long as I’m governor they will continue to come to the state of Nevada,” Governor Lombardo said to applause.
Additional Topics
Davis led a far-ranging conversation with the governors and they covered a lot of ground. Additional topics discussed included banking discrimination, blue-state-red-state migration and dealing with the challenges or opportunities that that dynamic offers, Nevada Gov. Lombardo’s use of the veto pen to protect his state from bad, anti-Second Amendment policies, as well as asking each governor to talk about the single accomplishment they are most proud of delivering to their states.
The governors also took several minutes to address audience questions, which can be viewed here.
Gianforte Secures 2nd Term, Smashes Gun-Control Advocate Busse in Montana
About The National Shooting Sports Foundation
NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations, and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org
Thanks to all the governors for supporting the second amendment in their states and across the country . Montana is a state with a gun and hunting culture and that’s why I live in Big Sky country. We love our guns in Montana .
“Montana is now home to over 150 firearms and ammunition manufacturers. We have more per capita than any other state in the country.” – Great! Just as it should be.
Busse was as slick a double talker as they come.