Questions about gun control are quickly becoming unavoidable for senators running for re-election. For some Democrats, that could mean double jeopardy if (1) Trump carried their state and (2) their state relies heavily on the gun industry.
New analysis by the folks over at WalletHub details the states most heavily reliant on the arms and ammunition industry for political contributions, firearm ownership, and jobs.
This puts incumbent Democrats in a tough spot as their party pushes for stricter gun control but many of their constituents pack heat, cut checks to the NRA, and make their living helping consumers lock-and-load. Compare and contrast, for instance, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, both Democrats.
New Jersey ranks in the bottom five states when it comes to firearms-industry jobs per capita, firearms industry output per capita, and the number of background checks run per capita. For Tester in deep-red Montana, it’s almost the exact opposite. Voters in Big Sky Country cling to guns, making their state number three in gun jobs, fourth in gun manufacturing, and fourth in gun background checks.
Touting the party line for Tester would almost certainly mean alienating his electorate by threatening not just their culture but also their economy. And he isn’t alone. Democratic Sens. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, and Joe Manchin of West Virginia face similar predicaments. Their states rank 10th, 12th, and 13th, respectively.
Expect those senators to avoid the question on the campaign trail and expect gun control to go nowhere in 2018.
