Former Hawaii AG Mark Bennett might have taken some comfort last week when the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance his nomination for Ninth Circuit judge to a full Senate vote. But if the recent opposition from some GOPers is any indication, this anti-Second Amendment judge might well start sweating bullets.

It’s a story we’ve heard before (think the 2016 election): A widely disliked hopeful scores the endorsements of both liberal Democrats AND the president. The press showers them with praise. And they seemingly have it in the bag… until things start to go wrong.

Well, now Mr. Bennett may have more in common with Hillary Clinton than he ever thought possible. Republican Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ben Sasse (R-Nebraska) have come out swinging against Bennett, who has a record of smacking the Second Amendment squarely between the eyes.

First the opposition came rolling in from Cruz, who said:

“He was an aggressive advocate demonstrating hostility to the First Amendment and political speech,” he said in a committee meeting Thursday, “Most significantly, he has been an aggressive advocate for undermining the Second Amendment.”

Ouch.

But it didn’t stop there, because Sasse’s office shares Cruz’s concerns. According to the Washington Free Beacon, James Wegmann, a Sasse spokesman, said “Senator Sasse has concerns about Mr. Bennett’s advocacy in Citizens United v. FEC and Heller v. District of Columbia.”

Firearms Policy Coalition is proud to have led the charge in opposing Bennett’s nomination from the very beginning, citing his prior position that the Second Amendment does not apply to the states.  

FPC was the first pro-2A organization to oppose Bennett, and lead a grassroots lobbying drive against him. Further, FPC put boots on the ground and deployed lobbyist Phil Watson to Washington D.C. to oppose the gun control agenda.

But now politicians like Cruz are cranking up the pressure on Bennett as well.

"Taking the position in the Heller case that the Second Amendment protects no individual right to bear arms whatsoever," Cruz said in a meeting. "In my judgement that is an extreme position. It is grossly inconsistent with the text and original understanding of the Second Amendment and, so, I can't, in good conscience, vote to confirm him for a lifetime position as a court of appeals judge on the ninth circuit."

Bennett is an anti-gunner who has been showered with praise by liberal, gun-hating Democrats from the start. But now the blinders have come off and some Republicans are seeing his true colors. After pressure from thousands of phone calls and emails from pro-2A grassroots advocates like you, politicians may finally be getting the message.

FPC would like to thank all of our members and supporters for helping bring Bennett’s record to the attention of Senate Republicans. And we encourage all gun owners to continue to up the ante and remind the Senate that we will not stand for another anti-gun judge on the Ninth Circuit.

Victory is possible. But we can’t rest on our laurels. We have to oppose Bennett every step of the way. Please join FPC in ensuring this judge stays off the Ninth Circuit.