The Democratic Party’s quest to retake the US Senate this November just received a significant boost with the entry of Al Gross, the last NRA-endorsed Democrat standing, into Alaska’s open Senate race. Gross, an orthopedic surgeon and independent who ran in 2020, snagged the NRA’s rare nod that year for his staunch defense of hunters’ rights and opposition to sweeping gun control measures—positions that put him at odds with his party’s coastal elite. Now jumping back in as a Democrat (with whispers of an independent run still floating), he’s eyeing the seat vacated by retiring GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan’s successor play, setting up a wild three-way brawl against likely Republican Kelly Tshibaka and whatever mystery Democrat emerges from their primary scrum.

This isn’t just another candidate splash; it’s a seismic signal for the 2A community that the NRA’s endorsement muscle still flexes in unexpected places, even as the organization licks its wounds from internal scandals. Alaska’s a pro-gun paradise—think vast hunting grounds, subsistence lifestyles, and a voter base that treats the Second Amendment like gospel—making Gross’s pro-NRA bona fides a savvy play to peel off moderates wary of Kamala Harris-style confiscation fever dreams. But here’s the rub: his Democratic label could alienate purist gun owners, especially with Tshibaka’s unapologetic 2A warrior cred (she’s already touting lifetime NRA membership). If Gross surges via ranked-choice voting shenanigans, it flips Alaska’s reliable red Senate pillar into play, potentially handing Dems a 51-seat majority and turbocharging Biden’s ATF nominee wish list—think more pistol brace bans and ghost gun crackdowns.

For 2A patriots, the implication is crystal clear: complacency kills. This race underscores how fragile our firewall states are when opportunists like Gross repackage NRA-friendly rhetoric under a blue banner. Rally behind Tshibaka, flood the airwaves with ads exposing Gross’s party loyalty, and turn out like it’s Permitless Carry Day in Montana. Alaska’s not just a battleground; it’s the Maginot Line for gun rights in a Senate teetering on the edge. Eyes open, magazines full—November’s coming fast.