In the wake of the senseless tragedy in Uvalde, Texas where two teachers and 19 students lost their lives, it’s a good time to take a look at the politicians who continually take money from the National Rifle Association (NRA). The special-interest money that is donated to senators’ campaigns is one of the main reasons why the United States can’t pass meaningful legislation for gun control reform.
It’s not about taking away the second amendment, it’s about updating its definition in 2022 to offer safety measures so the children in the U.S. don’t have to worry about active shooter drills as a part of their young lives. The names on the list offer up a few trends — they are all members of the Republican Party, and they are primarily white men over the age of 50. Only two women are in the Top 20 of career NRA donations from a list compiled by Brady United of the 116th Congress members, which ended on Jan. 3, 2021.
It might surprise you that Texas senator Ted Cruz is not on the Top 20 list — he ranks 26th. But that’s because guns and his home state go hand in hand. The NRA focuses more of its financial efforts on swing states where they think they can influence an election. The top spot also might shock you, but we’ll let you see the name for yourself. There are quite a few members of the Senate who have a lot of explaining to do. American children deserve the opportunity to not live in fear, but it’s the political system that keeps disappointing them over and over again.
Mitt Romney, Utah
NRA Donations: $13,647,676
The junior senator from Utah tops the list of NRA donations throughout his career, which includes his term as governor of Massachusetts and a run for president in 2012 against Barack Obama.
Richard Burr, North Carolina
NRA Donations: $6,987,380
Richard Burr was a U.S. House of Representatives member for 10 years, beginning in 1995, and moving over to the Senate in 2005.
Roy Blunt, Missouri
NRA Donations: $4,555,722
Roy Blunt began his career as the Secretary of State for Missouri in 1985, moving on to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1997 and then on to the Senate in 2011.
Thom Tillis, North Carolina
NRA Donations: $4,421,333
Thom Tillis started his political career in the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2007 and assumed office in the U.S. Senate in 2015.
Cory Gardner, Colorado
NRA Donations: $3,939,199
Like many politicians, Cory Gardner began his political career in 2005 in his home state in the House of Representatives, he moved over to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2011, and then to the U.S. Senate in 2015.
Marco Rubio, Florida
NRA Donations: $3,303,355
Marco Rubio started in local politics in 1998 as a member of the West Miami City Commission. He rose through the ranks to become a U.S. Senator in 2011, with an unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2016.
Joni Ernst, Iowa
NRA Donations: $3,124,773
Joni Ernst is a former military officer who now serves as a junior United States senator for Iowa, a seat she has held since 2015. She is one of two female politicians in the Top 20 for NRA donations.
Rob Portman, Ohio
NRA Donations: $3,063,327
Rob Portman worked as the White House Director of Legislative Affairs under President George H.W. Bush and as the 14th United States Trade Representative under President George Bush. He’s been in the U.S. Senate since 2011.
Todd Young, Indiana
NRA Donations: $2,897,582
Todd Young spent six years in the U.S. House of Representatives before getting elected to the U.S. Senate in 2017.
Bill Cassidy, Louisiana
NRA Donations: $2,867,074
Bill Cassidy has been in a national position since 2009, first in the U.S. House of Representatives, and now, in the U.S. Senate.
David Perdue, Georgia
NRA Donations: $2,002,462
David Perdue is a former Senator having served the state of Georgia from 2015 to 2021. He challenged incumbent Governor Brian Kemp for the Republican nomination but lost by a landslide in the primary on May 24, 2022.
Tom Cotton, Arkansas
NRA Donations: $1,968,714
Tom Cotton is a former military officer who served in the U.S. House of Representatives for two years before moving over to the U.S. Senate in 2015.
Pat Roberts, Kansas
NRA Donations: $1,581,153
Pat Roberts retired from the U.S. Senate in 2021 after serving Kansas for almost two decades in this position. He was also in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 to 1997.
Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania
NRA Donations: $1,475,448
Pat Toomey spent four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives before becoming a senator in 2011.
Josh Hawley, Missouri
NRA Donations: $1,391,548
Josh Hawley is a junior United States senator from Missouri who began his term in 2019. He was also the 42nd attorney general of Missouri from 2017 to 2019.
Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee
NRA Donations: $1,306,130
One of two women on the Top 20 of NRA donations, Marsha Blackburn was a state senator from 1999 to 2003, and then served in the U.S. House from 2003 to 2019. She’s been in the U.S. Senate since 2019.
Ron Johnson, Wisconsin
NRA Donations: $1,269,486
Ron Johnson is a senior United States senator from Wisconsin. He has been in office since 2011.
Mitch McConnell, Kentucky
NRA Donations: $1,267,139
The Senate minority leader has been in Washington, D.C. for decades, starting his career out as the Acting United States Assistant Attorney General under President Gerald Ford. He’s been in the U.S. Senate since 1985.
Mike Braun, Indiana
NRA Donations: $1,249,967
Mike Braun was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives for three years before becoming a U.S. senator in 2019.
John Thune, South Dakota
NRA Donations: $638,942
The Senate Minority Whip has been a U.S. senator since 2005. He previously was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for six years.
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