Gun Owners of America Chairman Tim Macy and Chief Lobbyist John Velleco are paying West Texans a visit.
At a lunch hosted today at Midland’s Haley Memorial Library by the West Texas Discussion Group (WTDG), Macy and Velleco outlined the history of the GOA and the current climate in Washington in regards to Second Amendment rights. In particular, they touched on the fact that gun rights are still being put at risk – despite the Republican-led trifecta at the capital.
While GOA is heavily focused on national issues, their impact at the state level has not gone unnoticed. Odessa business owner Dick Saulsbury, who attended today’s luncheon, brought up GOA’s critical support of State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) in a 2016 Republican primary runoff. Despite his opponent being an incumbent, Straus-lieutenant, and endorsee of the National Rifle Association, Cain defied the odds with the help of GOA and secured a victory by just 23 votes. Cain is known for his role in the House’s Freedom Caucus and recently received a score of 100 on Empower Texans’ Fiscal Responsibility Index. 
Macy and Velleco will continue their discussion at an event at 7 p.m. tonight, August 28, in the Zant Room of the Saulsbury Campus Center at Odessa College. This event is also hosted by the West Texas Discussion Group and is free and open to the public. The platform will allow for the GOA representatives to go into more detail about current gun rights issues, impending problems, and how to get involved at the grassroots level. Refreshments will also be served and attendees will have the chance to win a free Henry Golden Boy .22-caliber rifle.
When asked to describe what the WTDG does, Martin Stringer, who helped start the group two years ago, stated that it’s “a group of civic-minded individuals who meet monthly at the Haley Library to discuss such topics as Christianity, current politics, banking, and national and world affairs in order to gain a better understanding of our complex world of today.”
