In the days following the deadly mass shooting on May 31, 2019 that took the lives of 12 people in Virginia Beach, State Senate Candidate Geary Higgins doubled down on his embrace of the gun lobby. Instead of disavowing his support of the National Rifle Association in the wake of the tragedy, Higgins continued to run ads on Facebook trumpeting the group’s endorsement.

Coincidentally, the NRA returned the favor just weeks later, spending nearly $6,000 to give Higgins the boost he needed to win the Republican primary to represent Virginia’s 13th District in the State Senate.

Higgins’ support from the NRA comes after a long-standing record of voting in lockstep with the powerful gun lobby’s interests during his time as Loudoun County Board Supervisor.

In June 2018, Higgins voted against a proposed ordinance in Loudoun County to study increasing the minimum distance that an individual must be away from an occupied structure or building in order to discharge a firearm.

The NRA strongly opposed this measure, and later praised Higgins for his vote, stating “Thank you to those NRA Members and Second Amendment supporters who attended and contacted the Board of Supervisors in opposition to this ordinance.”

Other gun control measures Higgins voted against during his tenure as Loudoun County Supervisor include researching increasing the prohibited distance from roadways that a firearm could be discharged and restricting hunting with a firearm within 100 yards of a public park or school.

In November, Higgins is seeking election to represent Virginia’s 13th District in the State Senate.