Big Guns or Big Talk? How the National Rifle Association Matters for Conceal Carry Weapons Laws

Social movement organizations (SMOs) often aim to influence society through policy change; however, policy change may be the result of public opinion, political opportunities, or other factors, thus creating a spurious relationship between SMO activity and policy outcomes. Using event-history analyses, the current study found that the NRA does influence CCW laws, but its effect is mediated by public opinion, political ideologies, competitive elections, and political opportunities. Issue-specific public opinion and political ideologies also interact with one another to influence CCW laws. These findings build upon a growing literature that illustrates how SMOs interact with political contexts to generate policy change. (publisher abstract modified)