Sen. Dave McCormick’s blunt declaration that America will “pick our hand” in the looming contest with China isn’t just campaign rhetoric—it’s a signal that the next decade of defense spending will be shaped by hard-nosed realism rather than wishful diplomacy. McCormick’s background as a combat veteran and former hedge-fund CEO gives him credibility when he argues that economic leverage, technological edge, and military readiness must be fused into a single strategy. For the firearms community that means watching how the senator’s emphasis on “winning” translates into concrete procurement: more small-arms modernization, expanded domestic ammunition production, and renewed focus on export controls that keep advanced optics and suppressors out of Beijing’s reach.

The 2A angle is straightforward but often overlooked. Every rifle, optic, and round that leaves an American factory strengthens the industrial base the Pentagon will rely on if tensions over Taiwan or the South China Sea boil over. McCormick’s call for “picking our hand” implicitly endorses policies that treat the civilian firearms sector as a strategic asset rather than a political liability—something the industry has argued for years. Expect renewed pushes for on-shoring primer and propellant manufacturing, faster ITAR reform for U.S.-made components, and perhaps even tax incentives that reward companies expanding capacity in Pennsylvania and other red states.

If McCormick’s worldview prevails, the Second Amendment community won’t just be defending constitutional rights at home; it will be part of a larger national project to ensure that American marksmanship, innovation, and manufacturing remain second to none when the next great-power test arrives.