While many media sources are still holding out hope that the Democrats might somehow still win control of the U.S. House of Representatives a week after the election, some prominent news outlets are reporting that Republicans have now won enough seats to remain the majority.
At 8:30 a.m. Central time today, the Associated Press still had Republicans at 214 seats and Democrats at 205 (218 are needed for a majority of the 435 seats). However, at about 12:30 a.m. Central Time, news organization Reuters reported that data provider by Decision Desk HQ had projected that Republicans had won the 218 seats necessary to retain power, with vote counting still continuing for about a dozen seats. Yahoo News also reported that Republicans had won the House.
With the House race now in the bag, voters have elected to put Republicans back in the majority in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, along with electing former President Donald Trump, also a Republican, as the next president. It’s likely the number of Republican House seats could reach 220 or more as final results are reported.
The latest election results mark the first time the nation saw a unified government since Democrats controlled both houses during President Joe Biden’s first two years in office. The last time Republicans controlled both houses and the presidency was during the first two years of Trump’s first term.
Second Amendment supporters hope the unified government under the Republican banner will lead to significant strides in rolling back unconstitutional gun control laws and passing more laws to protect lawful gun owners. And there are already some good signs in that direction.
Over the weekend, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to protecting Second Amendment rights, announcing his intent to implement national concealed carry reciprocity once he takes office. This proposed legislation would require all 50 states to recognize concealed carry permits issued by any individual state, enabling gun owners to legally carry firearms across state lines without fear of discrepancies in local regulations.
In his weekend message, Trump also promised to uphold the right to self-defense—the reason a majority of American firearm owners say they own their guns.
“I will protect the right of self-defense wherever it is under siege, and I will sign concealed carry reciprocity,” Trump said. “Your Second Amendment does not end at the state line.”
Another item on pro-gun rights groups’ wish lists includes Trump rolling back a number of executive actions by President Biden, which Trump vowed to do during the campaign. Biden has signed executive orders covering homemade kit guns that do not use serial numbers, stabilizing braces for ARs, which he wanted the owners to have to register as short-barreled rifles under the National Firearms Act, as well as safe storage requirements. Biden even created a task force to consider 3D-printed firearms and fully automatic conversion devices that are already regulated as machine guns.
“In my second term, we will roll back every Biden attack on the Second Amendment—the attacks are fast and furious—starting the minute that Crooked Joe shuffles his way out of the White House,” Trump said during the campaign.
Other Second Amendment actions sought by gun owners and pro-rights groups include dismantling the so-called White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and reining in the rogue Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which has been weaponized by the Biden Administration against lawful gun owners, manufacturers and retailers.
While gun groups are hopeful, some are vowing to hold the Republicans to their word concerning swift action on Second Amendment rights.
“With such a pro-gun mandate from the voters, we’re ready to hold Republicans to their election promises to protect and restore gun rights,” said Adrian Johnston, director of federal affairs for Gun Owners of America (GOA). “It is time that Congress finally enact national concealed carry reciprocity, destroy the ATF’s illegal gun registry, de-regulate suppressors and quit funding unconstitutional ‘red-flag’ gun confiscation laws.”
Of course, it remains to be seen how much pro-rights work actually gets done during the next legislative session. But at this time, chances are much greater than they were when Biden took office, and Democrats held the majority in both the Senate and House.
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