Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance highlighted the importance of self-defense and the Second Amendment during his speech at the Republican National Convention, drawing from personal experiences to emphasize the need for firearm protection. Vance recounted how his mamaw kept 19 loaded handguns hidden throughout her house so that one was always “within arm’s length” for self-defense purposes. He explained that as she aged and became less mobile, it was crucial for her to have easy access to firearms in order to protect her family.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) highlighted Vance’s strong support for the Second Amendment throughout his political career. When running against Tim Ryan (D) for a U.S. Senate seat in Ohio, Vance consistently championed the rights of law-abiding citizens to bear arms and defend themselves. He also expressed skepticism towards new gun control measures, instead advocating for fixing existing laws that may have flaws or issues.
One such issue was background checks, which Vance felt needed improvement rather than being replaced by a whole new system with additional regulation. He argued that current background check systems should be fixed before adding more layers of restrictions on law-abiding citizens, stressing the importance of self-defense and the American spirit of protecting one’s family and community.