I spent many hours over the past few months working phone banks, distributing signs, writing, etc. to help John McCain win this election, only to see him lose, and my state go 56 – 42 to Barack Obama. Was that time wasted? No. As disappointed as I am, I can look myself in the mirror this morning, and know that I did what I could for what I believe in. And I intend to be able to do that every day for the rest of my life.

I got involved over the last year or so to a level I never have before. The experience has been more rewarding than i can easily express here. You win some (like seeing Russ Feingold and many others sign the Pro Heller amicus brief after we called and wrote) and you lose some, like last night. But I can hold my head high that I did what I could. And I intend to keep doing it.

The next several years are going to be a tough time for gun owners, and the Conservative movement, but I am ready to come out swinging, and I have been talking to a number of other people who feel the same way. I will be contacting my representatives at every level of government regularly. I am looking at other ways to get involved, both in the pro-gun movement, and the Conservative movement generally.

The Republicans needed a wakeup call. They have acted too much like what we expect from Democrats the last several years, and if people want that, they have Democrats to vote for. But there are a lot of good ones out there, and we need to get behind them, at every level, and help them get elected, and also to move to higher offices. And while we do it, make sure they know that we will vote for them because of their values and voting records, not the letter after their name.