2026 NRA Board Election

Uncategorized

NRA Annual Meeting Report, Part 1

April 22, 2026 by 4 Comments

Over the coming days I will be doing a series of reports about the NRA Annual Meeting including the Board meeting and Meeting of Members. They will cover a number of topics. These topics will include the Elections Committee report, the Annual Compliance Report to Members, changes to the Executive Committee, and much more.

I am starting with the Elections Committee report which is embedded at the end of this post. Sadly, voting numbers were down again. Out of approximately 2.5 million ballots sent out, only a total of 59,781 were return for a voting turnout of a mere 2.43%. The total number of valid ballots was 56,850. This will mean that petition candidates will only need a total of 285 valid signatures to make the ballot.

One reason for the low turnout could have been that virtually all the candidates on the ballot were going to be elected. This was due to resignations of Board members which opened up a total of 10 slots in addition to the regular 25 3-year terms and the 76th Director. We may never know.

As I reported earlier in April when I gave out the draft election results, Isaac Demerest decided not to run for 76th Director which only left Lynn Gipson. Then Eb Wilkinson declined the seat he won. Thus, Regis Synan moved up to take a 3-year term, Jim Wallace moved up to take a 2-year term, and Isaac Demerest won a 1-year term as he had placed ahead of Lynn Gipson. As the Elections Committee report makes clear under Robert’s Rules of Order, Mr. Gipson was declared the winner by acclamation of the 76th Director seat.

All was well and good until Sunday afternoon.

We learned then that both longtime director Wayne Anthony Ross of Alaska and Lynn Gipson had passed away on Saturday, April 18th. My condolences to both the Gipson and Ross familes.

We took up the issue in Monday’s Board meeting regarding whether they would or could be replaced on the Board. It resolved around the meaning of Article VIII, Section 4 of the NRA Bylaws stating that the 76th Director “shall be chosen only from those persons who were nominated as candidates for election for Director in the mail ballot…” The debate was whether write-in candidates could be considered “nominated” within the meaning of this bylaw. It was ultimately decided that “nominated” only applied to those candidates who appeared on the ballot by a nomination from the Nominating Committee or by a nomination by petition. There were a number of arguments regarding this. One strong argument was that write-in’s had not been vetted to see if they were even eligible under the Bylaws unlike the other candidates.

Jeff Knox corrected me on the relevant section of the bylaws were in play. He said:

There was no question about write-ins being eligible to run for 76th. The question was on Article IV, Section 2, Bold Italic, filling vacancies occurring between regular elections: “…shall be filled by persons who ran and lost on the most recent mail ballot in rank order…” The question was whether write-ins “ran” on the “ballot.” They would have to be “otherwise qualified to serve,” but would receiving write-in votes be enough to consider them to have “run?”

By a vote of 27 yes to 33 no, it was decided as there remained no nominated candidates on the ballot those two positions will go unfilled. Thus, the 2026-27 Board of Directors will only number 74.

My vote was not to seat a write-in candidate and that vote had nothing to do with the candidates themselves. Indeed, I had urged voters to write-in Chuck Rowe’s name on their ballots as I thought he would make a great Director. Rather it went back to what I considered the letter and the spirit of the Bylaw itself.

One thing I might point out is if you are considering running for the Board of Directors now is the time to request a petition package from the NRA Office of the Secretary. As a reminder, potential petition candidates can now gather signatures electronically from eligible NRA voters.

The report of the Committee on Elections is below:

2026 NRA Election ReportDownload
Uncategorized

Final NRA Board Election Results

April 15, 2026 by

As somewhat expected Eb Wilkinson declined his seat on the NRA Board of Directors. Why he even kept is name on the ballot is open to speculation. Thus, Regis Synan moved up to a 3-year term (really good!) and Jim Wallace to a 2-year term. Additionally, Isaac Demerest who declined to run for the 76th Director will now have a 1-year term.

Here are the final results that came out this morning from NRA Secretary John Frazer. One note, the vote count will not be released until the Elections Committee gives its report on Saturday at the Meeting of Members.

ELECTED FOR THREE-YEAR TERMS ENDING IN 2029

  1. Leroy Sisco
  2. Megan Hilbish
  3. Amanda Suffecool
  4. Ted Carter
  5. Linda Walker
  6. James D’Cruz
  7. Kenneth Bowra
  8. David Raney
  9. James W. Porter II
  10. Jacqueline Janes
  11. Jay Wallace
  12. William Bailey
  13. Eric Mettauer
  14. Bruce Widener
  15. Rob Beckman
  16. Mark Vaughan
  17. Robert Mansell
  18. Charles Brown
  19. Charles Hiltunen III
  20. Mark Robinson
  21. Jerry Kraus
  22. Amy Heath-Lovato
  23. Randy Luth
  24. Richard Fairburn
  25. Regis Synan

ELECTED FOR TWO-YEAR TERMS ENDING IN 2028

  1. Todd Figard
  2. Deborah Lyman
  3. Kyle Hupfer
  4. Robert K. Brown
  5. Steve Schreiner
  6. Jim Wallace

ELECTED FOR ONE-YEAR TERMS ENDING IN 2027

  1. Alex Carroll
  2. Huey Laugesen
  3. Todd Vandermyde
  4. Isaac Demarest
  5. Lynn Gipson (by acclamation to 76th Director seat)

Uncategorized

2026 NRA Board Election Results (Update)

April 2, 2026 by 6 Comments

The results from the 2026 NRA board election are in and the draft results have been released. The final results will be announced at the Meeting of the Members at the Annual Meeting in Houston.

As Secretary John Frazer notes in his statement accompanying the results, both the final results as well as the need to elect the 76th Director could change if someone declines a seat.

From John Frazer:

Dear Board and Executive Council members:

The draft tabulation of the NRA mail ballot election results has been received. Notices have been sent by e-mail to each candidate.  The overall results are below, in rank order of votes received.  The final vote tallies will be released in Houston.

Finally, as you know, there is a chance that no 76th Director election will be necessary.  If any candidate declines a seat, or chooses not to run for 76th Director, or if any other vacancy occurs before the Annual Meeting, the partial-term directors will up accordingly.  If that happens, we’ll send a revised list.

Please join us in congratulating these newly elected or reelected directors.

ELECTED FOR THREE-YEAR TERMS ENDING IN 2029

  1. Leroy Sisco
  2. Megan Hilbish
  3. Amanda Suffecool
  4. Ted Carter
  5. Linda Walker
  6. James D’Cruz
  7. Kenneth Bowra
  8. David Raney
  9. James W. Porter II
  10. Jacqueline Janes
  11. Jay Wallace
  12. William Bailey
  13. Eric Mettauer
  14. Bruce Widener
  15. Rob Beckman
  16. Mark Vaughan
  17. Robert Mansell
  18. Charles Brown
  19. Charles Hiltunen III
  20. Mark Robinson
  21. Jerry Kraus
  22. Amy Heath-Lovato
  23. Randy Luth
  24. Eb Wilkinson
  25. Richard Fairburn

ELECTED FOR TWO-YEAR TERMS ENDING IN 2028

  1. Regis Synan
  2. Todd Figard
  3. Deborah Lyman
  4. Kyle Hupfer
  5. Robert K. Brown
  6. Steve Schreiner

ELECTED FOR ONE-YEAR TERMS ENDING IN 2027

  1. Jim Wallace
  2. Alex Carroll
  3. Huey Laugesen
  4. Todd Vandermyde

NOT ELECTED — ELIGIBLE TO RUN FOR 76TH DIRECTOR

  1. Isaac Demarest (Withdrew)
  2. Lynn Gipson

WITHDREW

  1. Ernest Myer

I have bolded those candidates whom I endorsed. Eleven won full three-year terms, one got a two-year term, and the other two got one-year terms.

I have also put the names of the candidates that I nominated for the Board in italics. Three – James D’Cruz, Jaci Janes, and Rob Beckman – were nominated by the Nominating Committee and all three won three year terms. The four, Todd Vandermyde, was on the ballot by petition. I am disappointed that he only won a one year term as he has brought a lot of street experience and wisdom from the trenches to the Legislative Policy Committee.

Sometimes there is no rhyme nor reason to where candidates end up on this list. Sometimes it is name recognition, sometimes it is the candidate’s private network of friends and associates, and sometimes it seems to be just plain chance.

Nonetheless, congratulations to all on this list. I look forward to working with you for the betterment of the NRA in the year or years to come.

UPDATE: From John Frazer:

Isaac Demarest has withdrawn from the 76th Director race.  That leaves Lynn Gipson as the only remaining runner-up who would be eligible for the 76th Director ballot, and he can therefore be deemed elected without the need to conduct balloting.

The revised results are below; please join us in congratulating Mr. Gipson on his election to the NRA Board.

Uncategorized

One Way To Reduce The Size Of The Board

March 3, 2026 by

I thought we might have been done with resignations from the NRA Board of Directors.

Oh, thee of little faith!

As of today, the NRA Board of Directors now stands at 70 members thanks to the resignation of Dwight Van Horn.

From the memo sent out by NRA Secretary John Frazer:

We received a resignation notice from Board member Dwight Van Horn this morning.  Please join me in thanking Dwight for his long service to the NRA.

This leaves the current Board at 70 members. 

In addition, Dwight’s term would have expired in 2028, and therefore creates an additional vacancy to be filled in the mail ballot election.  Members will now vote for the following seats:

  • Twenty-five three-year terms that expire in 2029
  • Six two-year terms that expire in 2028
  • Four one-year terms that expire in 2027

Finally, this means there will be only two candidates in the 76th Director election in Houston.

Given there are now only 37 candidates vying for 36 seats, can you imagine being the person who loses in the 76th Director election?

What this also means is that with virtually everyone getting elected it becomes even more important that the best of the bunch get elected to 3-year terms. Ballots must be received by the end of March so if you haven’t mailed your ballot, do it now!

As a reminder, here are my endorsements including a write-in for Charles Rowe of Wadsworth, Ohio. Chuck has done great work on rationalizing the competition rules and is a CPA to boot. We need both of those skills on the board. I admit I know next to nothing about the competition rules and frankly am glad someone is willing to get into the weeds of the rules. He stands a chance if people take the time to write him in.

Mark Vaughan, our 1st VP, also should get your vote. I didn’t originally endorse him because I thought he was a given to get elected. I corrected that error in my update.

One final note. Two people on the ballot – Jay Wallace and Eb Wilkinson – are also trustees of the NRA Foundation. If elected, they will have to decide where their loyalties and fiduciary duties lie. Eb, while on the ballot, resigned in December 2025 but has not removed himself from this year’s ballot.

Uncategorized

It Is Time To Vote (Updated)

January 30, 2026 by 12 Comments

Ballots arrived for both the Complementary Spouse and myself while I was in Las Vegas at the SHOT Show. Now it is time to fill them out and get them in the mail. All ballots must be received – not merely postmarked – by March 29, 2026. You have two months to get them in but I wouldn’t wait.

While you are allowed to vote for up to 29 candidates, I went with the 13 I had endorsed earlier. There are others on the ballot who are certainly deserving of your vote and very few who aren’t. I should emphasize that if you vote for more than 29 candidates, your ballot will become void. This is true even though 35 candidates will win seats of varying length.

You can see my completed ballot below:

Now to the next matter. A friend noticed this poll on AR15.com. It was asking what people intended to do with their NRA ballots. Sadly, only little more than a third said they were going to fill them out and submit them. An equal number said they planned to trash them. I know it is Arfcom which is not always a good indicator.

All I would ask is that if you are a voting member that you would study the biographies, see other endorsements like those from known reformers such as Jeff Knox and Tim Knight, make an informed decision, and vote. The NRA Board of Directors is one of the very few boards that is democratically elected. Without your participation, it would be easy to slip back to the old ways.

UPDATE: Just a reminder that there are five or so ballots with the order of the candidates different in each. Your ballot may be different than my ballot.

UPDATE II: Here are two more candidates deserving of your support if you have not already mailed your ballot. First, Mark Vaughan of Oklahoma City, OK. He is currently serving as the 1st VP and doing an excellent job. I didn’t include him in my list of endorsees as I saw his re-election as a given. I wanted to give a push to other candidates that needed that extra push. I would have hated to see someone like a Charlie Hiltunen have to run as the 76th Director like he did last year or a Jim Porter only get a one-year term.

Second, consider writing in Charles Rowe of Wadsworth, Ohio on your ballots. Jeff Knox has written about him. Chuck has done yeoman’s work with the competition rules committees helping to rewrite and rationalize the rules. It is not my bailiwick but I’m glad someone extremely competent has taken the ball and run with it.

Uncategorized

NRA Ballots Are Arriving

January 21, 2026 by 2 Comments

While I expected ballots for the 2026 NRA Board of Directors election to start arriving next week, posts on Facebook seem to indicate that they have now started to arrive.

Here are the links to my endorsements which give more detail on each candidate.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

My endorsements are a combination of old and new. The common denominator is that all are committed to reform. As I have said earlier, I am suggesting a bullet vote such that these candidates win 3-year terms. Given the number of open seats, almost everyone on the ballot will end up winning a seat.

In alphabetical order:

  • Rob Beckman
  • Charles Brown
  • James D’Cruz
  • R. Todd Figard
  • Charlie Hiltunen
  • Jacqueline Janes
  • Huey Laugesen
  • Randy Luth
  • Jim Porter
  • David Raney
  • Amanda Suffecool
  • Todd Vandermyde
  • Bruce Widener
Uncategorized

2026 NRA Board Endorsements, Part 3

January 17, 2026 by 1 Comment

This will be my third and final round of endorsements. I know I have left many good people off the list. However, as things stand as of today, a total of 35 candidates will be elected out of a pool of 37. My last post regarding the most recent resignations breaks it down. My goal is only endorsing a total of 13 candidates is to see these 13 win three-year terms. My earlier endorsements are here and here.

My final five are in alphabetical order Charles Brown, R. Todd Figard, Jim Porter, David Raney, and Bruce Widener. They are all on the ballot by nomination and all five are part of the ElectANewNRA team.

Charles Brown

Charlie is the owner of MKS Supply which distributes Hi-Point and Inland Firearms. While he has passed the day to day operations of the company to the next generation, his expertise in management and experience in the firearms industry would be a distinctive asset to the NRA. He was part of the NRA 2.0 ticket in 2025 as a write-in candidate. He was forced to run as a write-in and not as a petition candidate due to back to back hurricanes. While he had enough signatures to make the ballot, they did not arrive in time and the bylaws provided absolutely no leeway.

Richard Todd Figard

Todd is now on the Board filling a position left empty by one of the many Old Guard resignations. He was a petition candidate in the 2025 race on the ElectANewNRA team and is again running as a reformer in 2026. He is a quality engineer by training with decades of experience. He is a competitor, a trainer, RSO, and serves as the Lead Firearms Inspector (for safety) at both the NRA Annual Meeting and the Great American Outdoor Show.

In terms of committee service, Todd has stepped up. He is on Clubs & Associations, Gun Collectors, Youth, Programs, Education & Training, and Pistol. From my conservations with Todd both before and during the recent NRA board meeting, I think Todd will be a work horse and not a show horse. That is exactly what the board needs going forward.

Jim Porter

Jim chairs the Legal Affairs Committee, is a past NRA president, and is a trustee of the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund. Jim broke with the Old Guard over the shenanigans of Bill Brewer and lost his chairmanship as a result. His motion on the agenda in the Spring 2024 was what paved the way for the reformers to take charge even if they lost the presidency.

I had a long conversation with Jim over dinner at the recent NRA Winter Board Meeting. It made clear that his split with Wayne and the Old Guard cost him many old friends which pains him to this day. Among other things I learned about Jim was that he actually played football for Alabama when Bear Bryant was their head coach. Of course, I had to inform Jim that my alma mater, Guilford College, was responsible for Bear Bryant’s first win as a head coach when at the University of Maryland. My bottom line is that I have an immense amount of respect for Jim Porter and think we need his knowledge and institutional memory of the Board as we go forward.

David Raney

David is a history professor at Hillsdale College. His specialties are American history and the Second Amendment. David actually interned with NRA-ILA while in college. He serves with me on the Legislative Policy Committee and is a voice for transparency. His other committee are Ethics for which he is well suited and NRA Media.

In the NRA Board meetings we sit by alphabetical order (like elementary school kids). David is my seatmate. He has always impressed me as a voice of reason full of quiet intelligence with a good bit of humor thrown in.

Bruce Widener

Bruce is what I consider a work horse on the Board. He has put his head down and gotten to work. He isn’t flashy but does bring a depth of experience to the Board. He has served as both a legislative lobbyist and as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives. I would hope that in the future he might serve on the Legislative Policy Committee. He is a hunter both here and in Africa and is an advocate for bringing women into the shooting sports. Indeed, he is the only man serving the NRA’s Women’s Programs Committee.

Bruce also serves on the Executive Committee and had his run-ins with the Old Guard. As he says on his ElectANewNRA bio, he proudly supported the Patriots (i.e. reformers) taking over the NRA.

Uncategorized

2026 NRA Board Endorsements, Part 2

January 6, 2026 by 7 Comments

There are good people on the Board running for re-election and there are newcomers who need to be on the Board. This set of endorsements features two of each. The incumbents are Charlie Hiltuenen and Amanda Suffecool while the two newcomers are Huey Laugesen and Randy Luth.

Given the recent resignations from the Board, I have no doubt that they will be elected but I think it is important that they get three year terms. This will assure some continuity on the Board as we go forward with the necessary reforms.

Charlie Hiltunen

Charlie won the 76th Director spot in 2025 and most certainly needs to win a 3-year term. He is the chair of the Legislative Policy Committee and you could not ask for a better chair for that committee. His experience as a lawyer, lobbyist, and legislative counsel for over 40 years brings a lot to the table in that committee and serves as a valuable counterpoint to staff. More importantly, he is committed to reform. He provides answers to a lot of top questions on his campaign’s FAQ page. In addition to the NRA Board, Charlie is the president of the Indiana State Rifle & Pistol Association.

Charlie is a Hoosier by both education and upbringing. He brings that midwestern sensibility to what he does on the Board and in his professional life. I am proud to endorse him for a 3-year term on the Board of Directors.

Huey Laugesen

Huey is the Executive Director of the Colorado Shooting Sports Association. He is on the ballot by petition and I was happy to support his petition drive.

I serve on the Membership Committee with Huey and I am convinced he is someone who needs to be on the Board for a variety of reasons. First, he has successfully increased the membership of the CSSA by 170% in the last two years. His use of targeted mailings in that state should be used as a guide by the NRA.

Second, Huey is on the frontlines in the battle for the Second Amendment in Colorado. That state is a prime example of how a state can go from good to bad in a short time. His organization along with the Mountain States Legal Foundation is fighting back against Colorado’s permit to purchase scheme with a lawsuit in Federal court.

Finally, Huey brings youth to the Board and will help us find ways to attract Millennials and Gen Z’ers to the NRA. That said, Colorado State Representative Ava Flanell who I met at the Gun Rights Policy Conference said of Huey that he was “an old soul.” By that, she meant he was wise beyond his years.

Randy Luth

Randy has been in the firearms industry for a long time. He founded and then sold DPMS Panther Arms. He later started Luth-AR which is the current company he heads. The Nominating Committee set their priorities which included those from the firearms industry, those involved in competition, and those with financial experience. Randy brings those to the table in spades!

More importantly, Randy has been committed to NRA reform for a long time. He was one of the first in the firearms industry to call out publicly the grifting of Wayne and his cronies. He also called for new leadership and urged the firearms industry to withhold financial contributions until such time as it came about.

The bottom line is that Randy stood up when few in his position would. For that and many other reasons, Randy has my vote.

Amanda Suffecool

I was first introduced to Amanda at the SHOT Show in the mid 20-teens and we have been friends ever since. She and I were for a long time co-hosts of the Polite Society Podcast until Paul Lathrop decided to bring it to a close. I have appeared on her nationally syndicated Eye on the Target Radio show a number of times.

Amanda is currently chair of the NRA Media Committee which was the merger of the former Publications and Public Affairs Committee. However, she is much more than that. She is an engineer, a trainer, an activist, a shooter, and a fashionista. She worked as a manufacturing and quality engineer with multiple industrial companies until her retirement. Amanda is certified in multiple NRA training areas. As an activist, she has been a leader in Women for Gun Rights aka The DC Project as well as chair of the Portage County (Ohio) GOP party. She was a delegate to the 2024 RNC Convention. Oh, and that fashionista thing, if you haven’t been to one of her concealed carry fashion shows, you are missing out.

In 2023 when Amanda first ran and was elected to the NRA Board of Directors, I did not endorse her. It was a strategic thing as I felt an endorsement would hurt her chances of being elected given my outspoken criticism of the NRA. Indeed, I made no endorsements that year but I did vote for her. This year I am very happy to give Amanda my endorsement for another 3-year term. She, like Rob Beckman, is double nominated and that is a credit to her for seeking nomination both ways.

Uncategorized

Two More Resignations

January 6, 2026 by 1 Comment

Yesterday, Jeff Fleetham resigned from the Board of Directors. He had been filling the seat left open by the resignation of Charles Cotton at the end of October 2025. While I did notice him on a couple of our online Board meetings, I had not met him in person.

Today, John Frazer sent out an email stating the Ronnie Barrett had resigned from the Board of Directors. Given Ronnie was also the Vice-Chair of the NRA Foundation’s Board of Trustees, I am going to assume it is related to the lawsuit filed yesterday by the NRA against the NRA Foundation. I can’t say any more about the lawsuit than to point you to the public statement regarding it.

From John Frazer:

Board member Ronnie Barrett has resigned as well.  Please join us in thanking him for the time he’s given the NRA.

The Board now stands at 73 members.  Because Mr. Barrett’s term would have expired in 2027, his resignation creates a one-year vacancy to be filled by the mail ballot.  Members will now vote for the following seats:

  • Twenty-five three-year terms that expire in 2029
  • Four two-year terms that expire in 2028
  • Four one-year terms that expire in 2027

Add to this the 76th Director voted on at the NRA Annual Meeting and you have a total of 34 directors elected in 2026. Given there are only 38 names on the ballot, this means virtually everyone nominated by either the Nominating Committee or petition will be elected.

I will have my second round of endorsements up later today. I am almost to the point of saying who should NOT be given your vote!

As to Ronnie leaving the Board, this saddens me because I thought he made a substantial contribution to it especially chairing the Special Committee on Organization and Leadership. I had dinner and lunch with Ronnie and his lovely wife Donna at our September meeting which led to some good conversations.

Uncategorized

2026 NRA Board Endorsements, Part 1

January 4, 2026 by

For 2026 I am returning to my tradition of encouraging a bullet vote. Last year I departed from that tradition to encourage voting for the full slate of reformers. This year thanks to multiple resignations there will be a total of 33 open positions if one includes the 76th Director and only 38 candidates. In other words, most on the ballot will be elected. My goal in encouraging a bullet vote is to assure that the best candidates get three year terms.

My first set of endorsements goes to the four whose names I submitted to the Nominating Committee. If I didn’t think they would be worthwhile additions to the Board of Directors, I would not have nominated them. It is as simple as that.

Four in alphabetical order are Rob Beckman, James D’Cruz, Jacqueline Janes, and Todd Vandermyde.

Rob Beckman

I first met Rob in person at the 2024 GOALS conference in Knoxville, TN. He later had me on his Firearms Trainer’s Podcast when I was running for the NRA Board of Directors. We caught up again at the NRA Annual Meeting in Atlanta during a meeting for clubs and associations. That is when I thought he’d make a great addition to the Board of Directors as he brought so much to the table. From being a senior project manager in IT for a global industrial company to being a podcaster to being the VP and Hunting Director for a state level 2A group (Ohio RPA) he checked all the boxes.

Rob’s official bio is below:

Proudly dual nominated by the members and Nominating Committee.  NRA Benefactor member, training counselor, NRA-FAL/ILA, volunteer for FoNRA in SE-Indiana, and dedicated 2A advocate.  Professional IT project manager, experienced with implementing enterprise systems in legal, finance, operations, manufacturing, audit, and organizational change management.  A devoted husband of 37 years, father, and grandfather. The host/creator of the Firearm Trainer Podcast, and VP/Hunting Director for the Ohio Rifle and Pistol Association.  Former board member and current adult leader for the local Boy Scout council.  Selected for the 2025 NRA Annual Meetings “Voices of the Second Amendment” and guest on numerous podcasts.  Proud member of numerous pro-gun/conservation organizations including SCI, IALEFI, NSSF, NMLRA, FPC, GOA, GOAL, CNJFO, OGCA, BHA, RMEF, NDA, Boone & Crockett Club, NTA, OSTA, F4WM, IHEA. NMSSA, NKSSA, Buckeye Firearms, League of Ohio Sportsmen, League of Kentucky Sportsmen, Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association, and the Illinois State Rifle Association.

I should point out that Rob is one of only three candidates who were nominated by both petition and the Nominating Committee. I kept in touch with Rob during the petition process and he worked his tail off to get those signatures.

James D’Cruz

I first became aware of James when he was a freshman at Texas Tech and the lead plaintiff in two NRA suits that challenged the prohibition on the purchase of handguns from FFLs by those age 18 to 20 and Texas’ restriction on carry by those under 21. The cases were D’Cruz et al v. BATFE et al and D’Cruz v McCraw. That was 15 years ago when this blog was very new. For his efforts to stand up and advance gun rights at that age, he was vilified by the gun prohibitionists. Josh Horwitz of CSGV disgustingly tried to portray him as a wannabe school shooter thanks to his Halloween costume while Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign accused him having “angry, violent Facebook postings.”

While James and his family later relocated to Florida and he was replaced in the cases, I stayed in touch with him over the years. I watched as he graduated from college and then went on to law school at Harvard where he earned his J.D. He served as a senior editor on the Harvard Business Law Review and had an article on the NFA published in the Harvard Journal of Law Public Policy. After law school he served in the trenches as an Assistant States Attorney in Orlando and then later in private practice in both Texas and Florida. He also serves this country as a Captain in the US Army Reserves JAG Corps.

James’ official bio is below:

Nominated by NRA Nominating Committee. NRA Life member.  Attorney in Texas and Florida. Firearms enthusiast, collector, and advocate. Outspoken advocate for overturning the National Firearms Act and the Hughes Amendment. Promoter of constitutional and open carry, as well as nationwide reciprocity. Second Amendment scholar and author. At 18, was the lead plaintiff in two national NRA-backed lawsuits challenging ban on handgun possession and carry by 18–20-year-olds. Served as a felony domestic violence prosecutor in Orlando. Currently a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve JAG Corps. NRA pistol instructor. President of the Harvard Law School Target Shooting Club (2015–2017). Owner of Cerebral Arms Company, LLC (07/02), which manufactures and sells firearms, provides firearms and self-defense consulting to the legal community, and provides concealed weapon permit training. Participates in match pistol, sporting clays, and high-power rifle shooting. Board Member of Florida Association of Veteran Owned Businesses (FAVOB).

We need younger people on the Board of Directors. James, only in his early 30s, has accomplished more than most and I think he’d continue that trend if elected to the NRA Board of Directors. He stood up when it counted, took his lumps, and has come back stronger than ever.

Jacqueline Janes

I first met Jaci and her partner Robert in 2011 at the LuckyGunner.com Blogger Shoot. After that, we’d run into one another at the NRA Annual Meeting, the SHOT Show, and the Gun Rights Policy Conference. I remember being at a business conference in Scottsdale, AZ. I had posted something about being there on social media and I got an email within hours asking if I wanted to join Jaci for an evening pistol competition at her gun club. She promised to provide all the firearms and ammo. Unfortunately, I could not make it but it would have been cool

When the Nominating Committee issued the attributes they were seeking for nominees, I immediately thought of Jaci. She checked so many boxes – competitor, younger with business experience, membership organizational experience, grassroots, social media experience, and an industry professional. For those that don’t know, Jaci is the marketing director for Apex Tactical Specialties which makes triggers, barrels, and other after market accessories for the leading handgun brands. At a time when the NRA has recently switched marketing firms and is seeking a new approach, I think it would be highly advantageous to have an actual marketing professional on the Board to provide both insight and guidance.

Jaci’s official bio is below:

NRA Life Member with over 14 years of volunteer experience as an NRA-ILA Grassroots FrontLines Activist Leader in Arizona. Recipient of the 2012 Jay M. Littlefield NRA-ILA Volunteer of the Year Award. Nominated by the NRA Nominating Committee, leadership experience includes serving as an Executive Board Member of Phoenix Rod and Gun Club and the Women’s Outdoor Media Association. An accomplished competitive shooter with experience in IDPA, USPSA, ICORE, 3-Gun, and Long-Range Precision Rifle. Former Certified NRA Pistol Instructor, IDPA Match Director, Certified IDPA Range Safety Officer, and competed on the Team SIG Shooting Team. Brings over 25 years of marketing expertise as a marketing director in the firearms industry, writing featured in leading industry publications, including Shooting Illustrated, USPSA Magazine, IDPA Tactical Journal, and the Beretta Blog.

Todd Vandermyde

I’ve known Todd seemingly forever. We first met at a NRA Annual Meeting sometime after I started this blog. He was the NRA’s contract lobbyist in Illinois at the time and was a great resource on what was then happening in the Prairie State.

I nominated him for the Board in 2025 and am proud to do it again in 2026. He is on the ballot by petition and I don’t think anyone gathered as many signatures as he did or even came close. As of late October, Todd is now on the NRA of Directors filling out the term of a resigned director and deserves to be elected to serve a full three year term. He has hit the ground running since joining the Board and is just the sort of disruptive influencer that the NRA needs if reforms are to continue.

Todd’s official bio is below:

Proudly nominated by petition. NRA Life Member. Lifelong shooter, hunter, amateur gunsmith, veteran, operating engineer, retired lobbyist, and gun club president. Retired operating engineer and Director of Government Relations, Local 150 Operating Engineers. Represented NRA, gun owners, and FFLs as a lobbyist before the Illinois legislature for 30 years. Responsible for legalizing SBRs in Illinois, organizing litigation overturning the Illinois carry ban, and lead plaintiff in challenge to Cook County’s gun and ammo tax. President, Aurora Sportsman’s Club – largest gun club in Illinois; VP, Second Amendment Law Center; VP, Second Amendment Defense and Education Coalition. US Army Reserve, 18 years – Staff Sgt, Airborne and Pathfinder qualified. Member of Gun Owners of America, Firearms Policy Coalition, Illinois State Rifle Association (life), and Single Action Shooting Society (life). Former gun store owner with 07 FFL and SOT. 2018 Sturgis Freedom Fighters HOF inductee. Freedom’s Steel YouTube channel creator. Shoot house instructor.