The National Rifle Association—formerly a dorky club for target-shooting enthusiasts, currently a fundamentalist group valiantly lobbying for white American males' god-given right to buy AR-15s and shoot however many kids they can before the cops show up—donated heavily to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, lavishing $11,431,118 upon Trump even as they spent $19,756,346 to oppose Hillary Clinton. Trump went on to become president, despite losing the popular vote by 2,864,974 votes.
But the NRA also supports candidates closer to home: US Representative Greg Walden (R, Oregon's 2nd congressional district) and US Representative Kurt Schrader (D, Oregon's 5th congressional district).
Using data from the Federal Election Commission, the Washington Post has collated a handy, recently updated guide to how much specific members of Congress have received from the NRA. In Oregon, Walden is the NRA's clear favorite—they've given him $39,250 since 1998—but Schrader has also cashed NRA checks, with donations in 2012 and 2014 totaling $5,000. Late last year, OPB reported that Schrader was one of only six House Democrats who voted "for a bill that would allow concealed handgun licensees to carry their weapons in all 50 states."
The NRA keeps their report card-style rankings of candidates—marking how closely candidates' positions line up with the organization's—accessible only to NRA members. But OPB notes that in 2016, Schrader scored a 71, while Vote Smart reports Walden got a 93.
Locally, Oregon-based gun rights groups like the Oregon Firearms Federation give thousands of dollars to state lawmakers they support. Last week—one day after the most recent school massacre—23 members of the Oregon House of Representatives voted against a bill that would expand prohibitions on gun possession to significant others who abuse their partner.
Not voting for any candidate who accepts NRA money is one of the best—and only—ways to ease the organization's chokehold on Congress. Equally important, though, is making it clear to them, and others, why you're voting against them. Here's how to reach Walden; here's how to reach Schrader.
Walden is up for reelection later this year, and already has numerous challengers. Schrader is also up for reelection this year, and has several Republican challengers—including Mark Callahan, who, the Woodburn Independent notes, "has been active in the Clackamas County Republic Party and is also a board member of Oregonians For Immigration Reform."
