Mitt Romney today announced the endorsement of the National Rifle Association.
"As the Supreme Court has recently reaffirmed, the Second Amendment protects a basic and fundamental individual right—the right to bear arms," said Mitt Romney. "And it is the NRA that protects the Second Amendment. I am proud to have their support for my candidacy, and when I am president, I will do all in my power to defend and protect the right of all law-abiding Americans to keep and bear arms."
"As a lifelong hunter, I am a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights," said Paul Ryan. "The Second Amendment is essential to the functioning of a free society. Not only do millions of Americans own firearms, but recreational hunting and shooting adds billions to our economy every year and supports thousands of jobs. The NRA is committed to protecting our Second Amendment rights. Mitt Romney and I will have that same commitment when we are in the White House."
"Since 1871, the NRA has protected the right of men and women across our country to keep and bear arms," said Chairman of the NRA Political Victory Fund Chris Cox. "This right is enshrined in our Constitution through the Second Amendment. It's the right that makes all of our other constitutional rights possible. Americans deserve to have a friend of our Second Amendment freedoms and hunting heritage in the White House. That's why we are proud to endorse Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan for President and Vice President of the United States. Mitt and Paul will defend all of our constitutional freedoms from those who would seek to limit or deny them. We encourage every freedom-loving American to vote for the Romney-Ryan ticket on November 6."
Mitt Romney, Statement by Mitt Romney Announcing the Endorsement Of The National Rifle Association Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/303074