Maybe its just me, but I think the national mood toward the NRA is taking a . . . . .

[Lee-Lee]

9. They have more paid members than any special interest group- and can mobilize them

It's not the money that the politicians fear. It's the fact that with one email the NRA can flood their offices with calls and emails from a large number of voters, many who are single issue voters.

And for every gun owner that is a member there are about 10 who are not, probably half of whom vote similarly but just don't sign up.

It's a huge voter block, probably only equaled in size and influence by some unions. Big unlike unions who the DNC can always count on to fall in line no matter how much Democrats sell them out the NRA has no party loyalty and will unleash its members on anyone of any party who they feel sold their issues out. And unlike unions where a lot of members just join because the job requires it every NRA member willingly pays every year only because of one issue.

That's a motivated block of voters 4x the size of the Teamsters Union.

If your in a red state or district and the NRA decides to back your primary challenger you are toast.

Gun control groups don't have that influence because they can't even manage 5% of the paid membership of the NRA and those who do join are not as vocal and are not single issue voters on guns in large part.

Hell, most of the gun control groups can't even manage respectable enough membership numbers to admit to them without counting Facebook "likes" as members instead of dues paying members. And they keep merging and none have staying power.