If you have been following our updates via Facebook and email, you know that gun owners are enraged across the state as Senate Republicans tabled Constitutional Carry last week.
At the exact same time that Oklahoma had their final vote on their Constitutional Carry bill last week, Iowa lawmakers ‘tabled’ ours.
And while lawmakers were lecturing me on the pressure they are tired of receiving from gun owners in their email inboxes, Oklahoma Governor Stitt signed Constitutional Carry into law.
All told, three states (S. Dakota, Oklahoma, Kentucky) have passed Constitutional Carry into law this year alone — two states in just 72 hours last week!
But unless the Iowa Senate takes action on this bill in the Judiciary Committee by Thursday, our primary method of passing this legislation will expire.
That’s why I hope you’ll send three emails to help us advance this bill! More on that in a moment.
First consider the context of this situation.
Gun owners in Iowa have worked tirelessly to elect a pro-gun majority.
In 2010, Iowa Gun Owners ran our first program to expose State Senators who had voted against Constitutional Carry.
Armed with this information, gun owners threw Senators Rick Mullin, Rich Olive, Bill Heckroth, Staci Appel, Becky Schmitz, and Keith Kreiman to the curb!
In 2014, Iowa Gun Owners made sure everyone in Senate District 5 knew that Senator Daryl Beall was Bloomberg’s buddy in the Iowa Senate, sponsoring radical gun control.
And, predictably, gun owners threw Beall out of office!
In 2016, it was the same thing.
Between a combination of TV ads, radio ads, social media ads, mail, slicks, and boots on the ground, Iowa Gun Owners unleashed everything we had at the gun-grabbers who held down the State Senate.
And in 2018, gun owners made sure that Fred Hubbell didn’t become Governor, ensuring that our Shall Issue and Stand-Your-Ground laws remain in effect and that we can continue to remain on offense here in Iowa!
You know the story.
Mike Gronstal, Steve Sodders, Brian Schoenjahn, Mary Jo Wilhelm, Chris Brase, and Tom Courtney were all bounced out of office because of gun owners!
Everyone in Des Moines knows that the Iowa Senate Republican majority owes its very existence to gun owners who have fought tirelessly to expose gun-grabbers.
And now, these same Senate Republicans are refusing to move this bill. Worse, they are lashing out at gun owners who dare to call them out for it.
If you are outraged that these lawmakers think they can play gun owners for fools like this and expect to get away with it, please contact three people.
And if you are sick and tired of watching state after state pass Constitutional Carry while Iowa lawmakers go to war against gun owners, please contact three people!
The three lawmakers who need to hear from you are:
>>> Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (515)865-6394
Facebook: Go here
>>> Senate President Charles Schneider
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (515)657-7375
Facebook: Go here
>>> Senate President Pro Tem Jerry Behn
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (515)432-7327
Facebook: Go here
These three Senators are the ones who decide which bills live and which bills die in the Iowa Senate, and they are the ones who need to hear from gun owners now more than ever before.
Your message is very simple; in fact, you can feel free to cut and paste the text below and send it to them.
Dear Senate Republican Leadership Team,
I am beyond sick and tired of the Republican caucus playing games with Constitutional Carry legislation. With the funnel deadline fast approaching, I expect quick work on S.F. 165 this coming week!
Gun owners are the reason why your caucus has the majority today in the Senate.
You know it, I know it, and every gun owner in Iowa knows it. Despite this fact, you are allowing your caucus members to sit on this bill in the Judiciary Committee just like you did last year.
Worse, you are allowing caucus members like Senator Dan Dawson to break written campaign promises, while he arrogantly fumes at gun owners who email/call him out on it.
(Which is astounding, as he’s up for reelection next year and has a 136-vote Democratic registration disadvantage in Senate District 8!!!)
And worst of all, while three states have passed Constitutional Carry in just the past two months, gun owners in Iowa are on the verge of being passed over yet again.
Gun owners will not accept throwing out Mike Gronstal and his Democratic caucus for blocking this bill, only to have you and your Republican caucus do the exact same thing!
Your caucus will be asking gun owners for help in 2020, as you always have done. Rest assured that before you get my vote, my donation, or my volunteer time, I expect to see this bill passed through your chamber this session.
Lawmakers all over the country are fighting for gun owners, while lawmakers in your caucus are doing little more than fighting with the voters and organizations that have given you the very majority you enjoy.
I expect to see committee action on SF 165 this week, and I expect to see the full Senate pass this bill through your chamber and send it to the House soon.
Sincerely,
I hope you will take a moment to send this message to these three Senators right away!
Now is the time for gun owners to crank up the heat! These people work for us, but they have forgotten that and clearly need a reminder.
So call them!
Email them!
Facebook message them!
Text them!
Better yet, do all of the above and do it every single day next week until we see concrete action on their part!
Remember, talk is cheap.
It’s time that they stop ‘working to get the votes’ and get this bill passed! They have the votes. Gun owners like you made sure of that when we flipped the Senate in 2016!
Please fire off your emails TODAY!
And if you want to become a member of Iowa Gun Owners and stand with thousands of other gun owners in defense of our Second Amendment freedoms, join up today!
For Freedom,
Aaron Dorr
Executive Director
Iowa Gun Owners
P.S. While state after state is passing Constitutional Carry this year, Iowa Senate leaders are allowing the bill to die in the Senate with the funnel deadline fast approaching!
These ‘leaders’ only enjoy their current majority thanks to the tireless work of the members of Iowa Gun Owners, who have thrown dozens of gun grabbers out of office!
Please read the message above and send our pre-written email to the 3-man Republican Senate leadership team using the information provided above!
And to join Iowa Gun Owners, go here now!
