With all the stories I read about guns sold in Virginia making their way to criminals in New York, I figured Virginia was a haven for gun nuts. The impression was reinforced by the recent hooplah over Attorney General Mark Herring’s bid to sever reciprocity of gun rights with other states, and then the dramatic reversal of the policy after a deal cut between Governor Terry McAuliffe and General Assembly Republicans.
But it turns out that guns are less of a thing in Virginia than most other states. According to the listicle freaks at WalletHub, Virginia’s economy is less dependent upon gun manufacturing and sales than most states, gun ownership/sales are less prevalent, and the influence of the gun and anti-gun lobbies is only so-so.
Virginia ranked 39th overall out of the 50 states in WalletHub’s gun index: 35th for the contribution of the gun industry to the local economy, 35th for gun prevalence (ownership and gun sales per capita) and 27th for gun politics (as defined by political contributions for and against guns). If guns are your thing, head to Idaho or Alaska.
— JAB
