The recent mass shooting in Florida has reignited the debate over the National Rifle Association's influence on American politics.

The NRA remains one of the premier gun rights lobbying groups in the US, regularly contributing to congressional candidates.

Here are the members of Congress who have received the most money from the NRA throughout their careers.



Americans are boycotting companies that support the National Rifle Association. Lawmakers are coming under fire for their political donations from the NRA.

And the teenagers who survived the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida earlier this month are condemning what they believe to be the NRA's corrupting influence on US gun policy.

The NRA is indeed one of the most powerful gun rights lobbies in the US, spending millions every year to advance its agenda in Congress.

Although there are some gun-related issues on which a majority of Americans agree, the NRA's influence — particularly its political funding — remains a contentious and dominant aspect of the ongoing gun debate.

While the group contributes to members of both parties, the lion's share goes to the GOP. Of the top 85 members of Congress with the most career NRA contributions, 82 are Republicans, according to a database from the Center for Responsive Politics.

Total contributions to candidates exceeded $834,000 in the 2016 campaign cycle, not counting the contributions made to political parties, committees, and other groups.

But over lawmakers' careers, the NRA has spent millions supporting some candidates and opposing others.

Here are the members of Congress with the most NRA donations:

While contributions to candidates do not necessarily indicate that the NRA is always successful in changing a particular politician's given stance on gun-related issues, they do reflect the group's growing monetary prowess.

In 2017, the NRA spent more than $5.1 million on lobbying, according to the Center for Responsive Politics' database. The previous year's total reached $3.2 million.