With gun controller Andy Beshear now occupying the Kentucky governor’s office, numerous counties have declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that Cumberland, Harlan, Leslie, and Letcher Counties, among others, have made the declarations to show they will not be enforcing any new gun controls instituted by Beshear or the federal government.

The Herald-Leader noted a rousing speech by David Johnson at the Letcher County declaration meeting, wherein he said:

Tonight, I feel that we the people of Letcher County, and not just Letcher County but the state of Kentucky, and not just the state of Kentucky but of these United States of America, can stand up as law abiding citizens and proclaim that we are constitutional to the bitter end.

On December 18, 2019, Breitbart News reported that 86 of Virginia’s 95 counties had declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries as well. The 86 counties are presenting a united front to incoming Democrats, who take control of the state’s legislature next week. Those Democrats are led by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who has made clear that a war on guns is part of his agenda.

One of Northam’s main efforts is to force AR-15 owners to either register their rifles with the government or hand them over.

George Mason University economics professor Walter E. Williams responded to Northam’s push by warning Virginians not be fooled by “a registration trick.” Williams said, “Knowing who owns what weapons is the first step to confiscation.”

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.