Category: A Victory!
When Democrat Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear recently vetoed two pro-gun measures, lawful gun owners in the Bluegrass State were hopeful that pro-gun lawmakers in the state legislature could garner enough votes for an override.
Gov. Beshear vetoed House Bill 78, which would provide critical liability protections for firearm industry members against third-party misuse of the products they manufacture and sell, and House Bill 312, which would create a provisional concealed carry permit for lawful young adults ages 18, 19, and 20.
On April 14, the state legislature convened for a veto override session and successfully overrode both measures. The override vote totals for HB 78 were 80-19 in the House and 31-6 in the Senate, while HB 312 was overridden by 81-to-18 and 28-to-9 margins.
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) had earlier lambasted Gov. Beshear for his veto of HB 312, saying he was “following an anti-gun-rights party line rather than principle.” After the veto votes were counted, however, CCRKBA quickly applauded the legislators’ efforts.
“We are both delighted and proud of the Kentucky legislators who returned to Frankfort for these important votes,” CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb said in a news release announcing the override.
“By overriding Gov. Beshear’s vetoes, lawmakers in the Bluegrass State have exercised common sense by rejecting political nonsense, which prefers to penalize a lawful industry for criminal misuse of its products, while also practicing age discrimination against young adults by denying them their full rights of citizenship.
Gottlieb added that gun-ban activists around the country should take note of this important victory in Kentucky.
“What happened in Kentucky should be considered a signal to the anti-rights extremists to stop blaming an entire industry for the country’s violent crime problem,” he continued, “and to also stop restricting the rights of an entire age class, which can serve in the military, start businesses, get married, and run for office.”
Ultimately, Gottlieb said that after his organization chastised Gov. Beshear earlier this month for vetoing HB 312, he’s grateful the legislature responded to that call to action.
While the governor has opposed a ban on so-called ‘assault weapons’ and believes in reforming current law to allow medical marijuana users to retain their Second Amendment rights, he was wrong on these vetoes. We congratulate Kentucky legislators for making things right.”
In a news report about the Kentucky veto, NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) also praised pro-gun legislators for seeing the bills through to the end.
“NRA thanks lead sponsors TJ Roberts, Wade Williams, Savannah Maddox, and Josh Bray, all legislators who supported these bills throughout the session, and all NRA Members and fellow Second Amendment advocates who engaged with legislators this session,” the report stated.
U.S. Military Academy at West Point secures first place in team competition at 2026 SIG Sauer Relentless Warrior Championship.
Photo courtesy SIG Sauer
NEWINGTON, N.H. (April 15, 2026) — After two days of competition in some of the best weather to date, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point was crowned the team champion at the 2026 SIG Sauer Relentless Warrior Championship (SRWC).
The competition was hosted at the SIG Sauer Academy in New Hampshire from April 10-11 and featured 11 teams and 134 competitors, making it the largest in the event’s history.
“I am incredibly proud of the performance our Cadets delivered this past weekend. Coming out on top against 10 other high-caliber schools and military academies was no accident,” West Point Coach Gary Salman said. “We emphasize that being a proficient shooter is only the baseline; the true requirement is the mental and physical fortitude to overcome any obstacle in their path.”
This year’s SIG Relentless Warrior Challenge put competitors through 10 challenging stages, testing their skills in marksmanship, teamwork, fitness and leadership through mission focused themes.
Cadets from the Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy, Merchant Marine Academy, Royal Military College of Canada, Texas A&M, The Citadel, Naval Academy, University of North Georgia, Virginia Military Institute, Virginia Tech and West Point competed over two days among stiff competition. The event concluded with an awards banquet featuring retired Sergeant Major and “Leadership in the Shadows” author Kyle Lamb of Viking Tactics.
“The lessons these Cadets learned this weekend are not confined to the range. These experiences build the operational capabilities they will carry into the Army as they assume leadership roles. Everything we do revolves around our core mantra: developing leaders of character who will fight and win our nation’s wars,” Salman added.
2026 SIG RELENTLESS WARRIOR CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERBOARD
TEAM
- West Point
- Virginia Tech
- Air Force Academy
- Texas A&M
- University of North Georgia
INDIVIDUAL
- Top Gun Overall Champion: Lewis Hare – West Point
- Second Place Overall: Gavin Vollmer – West Point
- Third Place Overall: Robert Woertink – Air Force Academy
- Fourth Place Overall: Tyler Wade – Virginia Tech
- Fifth Place Overall: Wojciech Wardƒôcki – West Point
- High Lady: Kaia Gilfillan – RMC-Canada
- Shoot-Off Winner: Thomas Nunnally – Texas A&M
TEAM TOP SHOTS
- West Point – Lewis Hare
- Virginia Tech – Tyler Wade
- Air Force Academy – Robert Woertink
- Texas A&M – Thomas Nunnally
- University of North Georgia – Jesse Shoemaker
- Naval Academy – Sam Reece
- Virginia Military Institute – Alex Bodner
- Coast Guard Academy – Dhiren Kettish
- RMC Canada – Liam Septon
- The Citadel – Ryan Bostanci
- Merchant Marine Academy – Evan Hoang-Le
SPIRIT OF THE WARRIOR AWARD
Robert Farris – Virginia Tech
“SIG Sauer is proud to host this competition for the eighth year. I’m relieved that these cadets had a chance to compete in great weather for the first time in a while,” SIG Sauer’s Vice President, Consumer Affairs Phil Strader said. “They showed great resolve, competitive spirit and leadership throughout the entire event.”
