NRA ILA Interviews Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney

Chris Cox, Exec. Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), recently interviewed Gov. Mitt Romney, GOP Presidential candidate. Cox posed a number of questions relating to the Second Amendment and firearms regulations. We recommend that you visit NRAILA.org and read the Full Interview with Gov. Romney.

Here are sample Q&As from the NRA-ILA interview:

Chris Cox: First, let me start with the most basic question of all. In the 2008 case District of Columbia v. Heller, and in the 2010 case McDonald v. City of Chicago, the U.S. Supreme Court—by a 5-4 majority—held that the Second Amendment guarantees the fundamental, individual right of all law-abiding Americans to keep and bear arms. Do you agree that the Second Amendment protects a fundamental, individual right to own and use firearms for all lawful purposes?

Gov. Mitt Romney: Absolutely, and I was pleased when the Court finally rendered a clear and concise decision on this critical issue. The Second Amendment is essential to our free society. I strongly support the right of all law-abiding Americans to exercise their constitutionally protected right to own firearms and to use them for lawful purposes, including self-defense; the protection of family and property; hunting and recreational shooting.

Chris Cox: Obviously, America’s 100 million gun owners are very concerned that their Second Amendment rights hang in the balance at the U.S. Supreme Court by just one vote. President Obama’s two nominees to the Court so far—Justices Sotomayor and Kagan—have a history of anti-gun opinions and activism. And some have predicted that if Barack Obama is re-elected, he may have the opportunity to nominate several more justices to the Court. As president, if you had the opportunity, what type of individuals would you nominate to the Supreme Court? And which of the justices currently serving on the Court would you consider to be the best models of your judicial philosophy?

Gov. Romney: Chris, I believe the next president could indeed have the opportunity to shape the Court for decades to come, and that’s a key reason why the tens of millions of Americans who support the NRA should support my candidacy. My view of the Constitution is straightforward: Its words have meaning. The founders adopted a written constitution for a reason. They intended to limit the powers of government. The job of a judge is to enforce the Constitution’s restraints on government and, where the Constitution does not speak, to leave the governance of the nation to its elected representatives[.]

CLICK HERE to Read Full Interview with Gov. Mitt Romney.

The 2012 Presidential race is shaping up as a close contest. With two months left before election day, many key “swing states” remain “too close to call”. Accordingly, experts believe that this election could go either way, meaning both Presidential candidates have a real chance to win in October. Some polls show President Obama maintaining a slight lead in the popular vote, while other forecasters predict Gov. Mitt Romney will secure enough Electoral College votes to win. In a tight election like this, your vote DOES matter. That’s why, no matter what your party affiliation, we encourage you to register and vote in the upcoming election.