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<div class="cnnStorySource">WASHINGTON (CNNMoney)</div> <h2>When

Wisconsin's Gov. Scott Walker fought off a tough recall effort earlier

this year, he did so with the National Rifle Association's political

backing and money, thanks to his work expanding gun rights in the state.</h2>

                   <p>
                        The NRA, the most well-known gun rights advocate

and lobbying group, is in the spotlight following last week's shootings

at the elementary school in Newton, Connecticut, that killed 20

children and six adults.

                       
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                        Since then, there's been a public outcry to curb

gun ownership. President Obama has tapped Vice President Joe Biden to

lead a task force to produce proposals on gun law reform within weeks.

                       
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                        The NRA has also scheduled a news conference on

Friday saying in a statement it is "prepared to offer meaningful

contributions to help make sure this never happens again."

                       
                   <br/>
                        The NRA's clout in Washington is well known.

With its ability to mobilize 4 million members to the polls, the NRA has

garnered big <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2012/12/18/news/economy/gun-lobby-nra-connecticut/index.html">victories on gun rights</a> at the federal level.

                       
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                        Much of gun regulation, however, happens at the

state level, where the NRA wields even more power, especially in parts

of the country<strong> </strong>with large populations of registered hunters and gun users<strong>. </strong>

                       
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                        The NRA and its campaign arm, the Political

Victory Fund, have given nearly $3 million to state-level campaigns,

political committees, and candidates over the past nine years, according

to the National Institute on Money in State Politics, a watchdog group.

That doesn't include hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on lobbying

various state legislatures in the same period.

                       
                   <br/>
                        The money has helped win owners expanded rights

to carry guns outside of their home in 41 states, more than double the

number from two decades ago.

                       
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                        Also, just in the last seven years,<strong> </strong>the

NRA reports some 30 states have adopted a version of the "stand your

ground" law where gun owners can use "deadly force" to defend themselves

when they feel threatened.

                       
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                        The NRA, which has kept a low profile since the shootings, didn't return a request for comment.
                       
                   <br/>
                        "For a lawmaker in any legislature, the reward

of supporting gun rights is you get money and support from the NRA --

and there are no penalties," said Lee Drutman, a senior fellow with the

Sunlight Foundation, a watchdog group. "If you take on the gun lobby,

there are only penalties."

                       
                   <br/>
                        In Tennessee, for instance, the NRA spent

thousands of dollars on a campaign this year to defeat state House

Republican Debra Maggart, who defied the gun lobby by siding with

business groups to block a bill that would have allowed employees to

carry guns in workplace parking lots.

                       
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                        The NRA gave $8,000 directly to Maggart's

opponent, according the National Institute on Money in State Politics.

Along with a state gun lobby group, the NRA ran full page newspaper ads

and a highway billboard blasting Maggart, by comparing her to President

Obama, who has few fans in the state.

                       
                   <br/>
                        "They flooded the district with photos of me

shredding a constitution," said Maggart. "It was a serious assault, and

it had serious impact. I lost."

                       
                   <br/>
                        In Wisconsin, the NRA spent nearly $100,000

lobbying the legislature in 2011 to expand gun rights, according to that

state's Government Accountability Board.

                       
                   <br/>
                        Wisconsin campaign finance records show that the

NRA gave $10,000 in January to fight the recall effort of Republican

Gov. Walker. The group officially endorsed him "because of his

unapologetic support of our rights."

                       
                   <br/>
                        Florida was the first state to adopt the "stand

your ground" law, which gained a lot of attention after the<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/17/justice/florida-teen-shooting/index.html"> high profile shooting death of the unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. </a>The

NRA has given tens of thousands of dollars to Republicans who control

the state legislature as well as Republican Gov. Rick Scott.

                       
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                        In 2012, the NRA spent $133,000 on direct mail, phone banks and email alerts<strong> </strong>to

sway voters, according to Florida campaign finance records. The NRA has

given the Florida Republican Party $125,000 since 2004, according to

the National Institute on Money in State Politics.

                       
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    <div class="storytimestamp">
     First Published: December 20, 2012: 4:09 PM ET
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