Several gun lobbyists say they're watching the Judiciary Committee's markup meeting. NRA campaign in high gear

The National Rifle Association and its allies are kicking their lobbying forces into high gear as the Senate heads toward a vote that could remake key pieces of the country’s gun laws.

The gun lobby is taking its fight to Capitol Hill — stepping up meetings with old friends and trying to make inroads with a handful of swing Democrats in the Senate.


They’re also blanketing the airwaves, winding up their grass-roots machines, taking to social media and even, in the NRA’s case — sponsoring a NASCAR race at the Texas Motor Speedway and putting up new TV ads targeting black voters.

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Their goal: thwart any move by the Senate to pass gun control legislation, with a special focus on universal background checks — an idea that has picked up steam.

Several gun lobbyists said they are watching the Judiciary Committee’s markup meeting Thursday but expect the real fight to take place on the Senate floor — where they feel better positioned to make changes to the bill through the amendments process.

Lobbyists described the panel’s efforts, led in large part by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), as “perfunctory” and a “foregone conclusion.”

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The NRA — the behemoth in the industry — has also been meeting with GOP leaders, pushing them to consider amendments on issues like school safety and armed guards at schools and strengthening the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

Lobbyists have also focused attention on a trio of Democratic senators — Mark Warner of Virginia, Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania — because the gun lobby is unsure of how they’ll ultimately vote if something comes to the floor.

The pressure campaign extends beyond the NRA to groups, including the National Shooting Sports Foundation and Gun Owners of America.

They are facing off against gun control proponents that have come out swinging in their best-funded effort in recent history. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Mayors Against Illegal Guns and the super PAC founded by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, herself a victim of gun violence, are moving aggressively to blunt the gun lobby’s offensive.

Giffords’s super PAC, Americans for Responsible Solutions, launched a cable TV ad campaign Tuesday in Arizona and Iowa targeting Senate Judiciary Committee members Chuck Grassley and Jeff Flake and Sens. Tom Harkin and John McCain. The effort comes after the $3.5 million Independence USA PAC, a super PAC started by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, dumped into an Illinois special election to fund an ad blitz against a pro-gun candidate.

The uptick follows months of each side laying the groundwork following the Connecticut mass shooting that revived a national debate over the country’s gun laws. Up until now, much of the effort has focused on gauging support throughout Congress and winning over the public. But as the Senate prepares to take up legislation, the fight between two of the most well-funded, politically connected foes is on full display in Washington.

The fight is spreading to the state level, too.

The National Shooting Sportsman’s Foundation is focusing its efforts at the state level in Connecticut. The group, which represents 8,000 gun manufacturers and gun retailers, started running three TV ads statewide Tuesday on cable featuring the companies Colt, Stag Arms and Mossberg and the economic benefit they bring to the state. State lawmakers and Gov. Dan Malloy are looking at a slew of guns provisions.

NSSF’s Lawrence Keane said the ads in Connecticut represent the perspective they’ll bring to the federal debate.

Once the floor fight ensues, Keane said, “We will employ all the tactics available to us, from direct lobbying to grass roots and grass tops, mobilizing our members and customers via direct mail and phones, paid media — it’s all on the table.”

Gun Owners of America’s Erich Pratt said that the group has also increased its intensity. In particular, GOA has focused on reaching out to its members in Oklahoma to make calls to Sen. Tom Coburn’s office. The group is trying to increase pressure on the Oklahoma Republican against joining Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York and Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

“Our efforts are focusing on not only the floor fight on the Senate side but also looking ahead to the House, as well,” Pratt said, adding that they are making the case to House leaders that they should feel no pressure to bring up legislation since the chamber often passes legislation the Senate never takes up.

Gun control groups are also prepping for a longer fight.

“We’re preparing to pour millions of dollars into the very focused goal of engaging and rallying the voice of the American public in support of these policies, and background checks is going to be a big focus on that because of the very overwhelming support of that exists,” said Dan Gross, head of the Brady Campaign.

Gross said the group, which has seen a significant uptick in fundraising, is going to the Hill, using social media and using letter-writing to engage supporters, but noted that they are taking a long view when it comes to engaging in this fight.

“After the Senate, obviously it’s going to be really important to have some dry powder for the fight in the House,” Gross said.