Political spending by gun rights groups far outweighs that by gun control groups. Here, we break down just how wide the discrepancy is.
We define gun rights groups as non-profit organizations that lobby Congress and advocate on behalf of the ownership and use of firearms, and we define gun control groups as non-profit organizations that lobby Congress and advocate for gun control legislation. (Where relevant, we've also included donations from super PACs where gun control policy is a major focus.)
We've honed in on the largest and most prominent of these special interest groups. See how their spending breaks down
How much the NRA spent against President Obama in 2012
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Reported independent expenditures in the 2012 election cycle by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the largest grassroots organization dedicated to gun control measures
Amount spent by Independence USA PAC, a super PAC founded by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2012 that focuses on issues of gun control, school reform and marriage equality, to help unseat former U.S. Rep. Joe Baca, R-Calif., known to be pro-gun rights
Amount spent by Independence USA PAC this election to help unseat former U.S. Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-N.Y., known to oppose restrictions on gun ownership
Percent of the above figure spent solely by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a coalition of mayors founded in 2006 dedicated to promoting gun control initiatives
Estimated contribution range to NRA from outside corporations since 2005 through a corporate-giving program, per a report by the Violence Policy Center, a non-profit organization that advocates for stricter gun control
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