Governors Tout Successes, Make More Pitches at NSSF SHOT Show Forum

January 28, 2026
3:32 am

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Seven governors stepped up to the podium at the 5th Annual NSSF Governors' Forum during SHOT Show 2026, turning the Las Vegas Convention Center into a pro-2A battleground where states vied for the firearms industry's favor. Nebraska's Jim Pillen, Arkansas' Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Montana's Greg Gianforte, Nevada's Joe Lombardo, Wyoming's Mark Gordon, South Dakota's Larry Rhoden, and Idaho's Brad Little didn't just pat themselves on the back—they pitched hard. Gianforte touted Montana's aggressive recruitment of gun manufacturers, crediting tax incentives and a no-nonsense regulatory environment for luring companies fleeing blue-state hostility. Meanwhile, Rhoden gave a shoutout to Silencer Central's Brandon Maddox, spotlighting South Dakota's suppressor-friendly laws that have made it a hub for the NFA industry. These aren't empty boasts; they're battle-tested successes in a landscape where anti-gun legislators in places like California and New York are bleeding jobs and innovation. This forum isn't just glad-handing—it's a strategic flex amid escalating federal threats from the Biden-Harris era's ATF overreach and whispers of a Kamala-led assault on the industry. By highlighting tangible wins like Montana's manufacturing boom (which has added hundreds of high-wage jobs) and South Dakota's suppressor sales surge, these governors are signaling to CEOs and innovators: Park here, and we'll shield you from bureaucracy. It's red-state capitalism at its finest, countering the exodus of firms like SIG Sauer and Remington to pro-2A havens. For the 2A community, the implications are electric: more domestic production means shorter supply chains, lower costs for everyday shooters, and a fortified economic backbone against D.C. meddlers. As SHOT Show buzzes with 60,000+ attendees, this pitch competition underscores a seismic shift—gun-friendly states aren't waiting for permission; they're building empires. The real genius? It's a blueprint for replication. Imagine if swing-state governors joined the fray, flipping purple battlegrounds into 2A strongholds. With Rhoden praising Maddox's outfit—now thriving after ditching Utah for South Dakota's freedoms—the message to suppressors, AR builders, and ammo makers is clear: loyalty pays. For patriots stocking vaults and ranges, this means more options, innovation, and resilience. SHOT Show 2026 isn't just a trade expo; it's a declaration that the Second Amendment economy is alive, decentralized, and unstoppable. Keep an eye on these states—they're not just talking the talk; they're reloading for the long haul.

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Seven governors stepped up to the podium at the 5th Annual NSSF Governors’ Forum during SHOT Show 2026, turning the Las Vegas Convention Center into a pro-2A battleground where states vied for the firearms industry’s favor. Nebraska’s Jim Pillen, Arkansas’ Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Montana’s Greg Gianforte, Nevada’s Joe Lombardo, Wyoming’s Mark Gordon, South Dakota’s Larry Rhoden, and Idaho’s Brad Little didn’t just pat themselves on the back—they pitched hard. Gianforte touted Montana’s aggressive recruitment of gun manufacturers, crediting tax incentives and a no-nonsense regulatory environment for luring companies fleeing blue-state hostility. Meanwhile, Rhoden gave a shoutout to Silencer Central’s Brandon Maddox, spotlighting South Dakota’s suppressor-friendly laws that have made it a hub for the NFA industry. These aren’t empty boasts; they’re battle-tested successes in a landscape where anti-gun legislators in places like California and New York are bleeding jobs and innovation.

This forum isn’t just glad-handing—it’s a strategic flex amid escalating federal threats from the Biden-Harris era’s ATF overreach and whispers of a Kamala-led assault on the industry. By highlighting tangible wins like Montana’s manufacturing boom (which has added hundreds of high-wage jobs) and South Dakota’s suppressor sales surge, these governors are signaling to CEOs and innovators: Park here, and we’ll shield you from bureaucracy. It’s red-state capitalism at its finest, countering the exodus of firms like SIG Sauer and Remington to pro-2A havens. For the 2A community, the implications are electric: more domestic production means shorter supply chains, lower costs for everyday shooters, and a fortified economic backbone against D.C. meddlers. As SHOT Show buzzes with 60,000+ attendees, this pitch competition underscores a seismic shift—gun-friendly states aren’t waiting for permission; they’re building empires.

The real genius? It’s a blueprint for replication. Imagine if swing-state governors joined the fray, flipping purple battlegrounds into 2A strongholds. With Rhoden praising Maddox’s outfit—now thriving after ditching Utah for South Dakota’s freedoms—the message to suppressors, AR builders, and ammo makers is clear: loyalty pays. For patriots stocking vaults and ranges, this means more options, innovation, and resilience. SHOT Show 2026 isn’t just a trade expo; it’s a declaration that the Second Amendment economy is alive, decentralized, and unstoppable. Keep an eye on these states—they’re not just talking the talk; they’re reloading for the long haul.

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