Industry
Public Policy
Challenge and Opportunity
Hunters and sportsmen played a key role in helping elect Governor Jeff Landry, ushering in a new era of conservative leadership. With a Republican trifecta controlling the Governor’s office, House, and Senate, the opportunity to finally pass Constitutional Carry was stronger than ever.During Louisiana’s pivotal 2024 special legislative session on permitless carry, traditional advocacy approaches struggled to generate the substantial public engagement required for legislative momentum. Lawmakers needed robust, quantifiable constituent feedback to demonstrate broad support for Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 12, converting that political alignment into tangible legislative action.
What We Did and Results
Campaign Now provided comprehensive strategic guidance and grassroots messaging support that were instrumental in executing this campaign. Through data-driven planning, precise audience targeting, and compelling communications, Campaign Now helped Hunter Nation effectively mobilize supporters and ultimately secure a decisive victory in Louisiana. Hunter Nation activated over 170,000 conservative hunters, outdoorsmen, and Second Amendment supporters through multimedia text outreach and video messages featuring Ted Nugent and helped facilitate 2700 direct advocacy contacts by hunters to legislators. These efforts culminated in a decisive 75–28 House vote, and the Senate’s final floor vote 28-10. On March 5, 2024, Governor Jeff Landry signed Constitutional Carry into law, making Louisiana the 28th state to guarantee its citizens the right to carry without a permit.
Key Product
Legislative Advocacy
“Today, we join 27 other states in passing Constitutional Carry. I promised the folks of Louisiana that I would champion Constitutional Carry into law, and within two months, I have honored that commitment… law-abiding citizens should never have to seek government permission to safeguard themselves and their families… Today, we have secured an incredible victory for liberty in Louisiana.”
“The Second Amendment is our God-given right to bear arms and defend our families. No more begging the government to get permission to protect what’s ours.”
“We live in a constitutional republic, and in a republic, the rights and responsibilities belong to the individuals. Until they commit a crime, the government has no right taking those constitutional rights away from them.”
Constitutional Carry in the United States: Facts About Constitutional Carry and Why Louisiana Was One of the Last GOP States to Pass It
Constitutional Carry Overview
“Constitutional Carry,” or permitless carry, allows law-abiding citizens to carry firearms without a government-issued permit. As of 2025, 29 states have adopted the policy, with most being Republican-led. The South now leads the movement—every major Southern state except Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland allows permitless carry.
The first Constitutional Carry state was Vermont. Vermont has never required a permit to carry a firearm—either openly or concealed—since the founding of the state. The modern Constitutional Carry movement across the U.S. is largely modeled on Vermont’s example, affirming that law-abiding citizens should not need government permission to carry a firearm for self-defense.
The next states to follow were Alaska (2003), Arizona (2010), and Wyoming (2011)—marking the start of the modern wave of permitless carry laws that have since spread to most Republican-led states.
Louisiana’s 2024 Breakthrough
Louisiana became the 28th Constitutional Carry state when Governor Jeff Landry signed Senate Bill 1 on March 5, 2024. The victory followed years of failed attempts under former Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards, who vetoed prior bills in 2021 and 2022.
Why Louisiana Lagged Behind:
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Political Barriers: Multiple vetoes and narrow margins prevented overrides despite Republican majorities.
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Leadership Change: Jeff Landry’s election shifted momentum—he made Constitutional Carry a day-one promise.
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Grassroots Push: Groups like Hunter Nation mobilized hunters and gun owners, flooding lawmakers with calls and emails.
Significance
Louisiana’s Constitutional Carry victory in 2024 was the culmination of years of grassroots persistence, changing leadership, and strong cultural alignment around personal freedom and self-defense.
After years of vetoes and political gridlock, the election of a pro-Second Amendment governor and coordinated advocacy from groups like Hunter Nation ensured Louisiana took its place among other Southern Constitutional Carry states — completing a major milestone in the national movement for firearm freedom.
Campaign Reach and Engagement Metrics
Hunters as Catalysts for Change
Louisiana’s outdoor community became the moral and cultural backbone of the Constitutional Carry movement. Hunters were seen as responsible firearm owners with deep local roots and strong community influence. Their voices carried weight with legislators — and their participation made the difference.
Hunter Nation’s outreach didn’t come from political operatives or D.C. lobbyists; it came from trusted figures who share the same traditions and values as their audience. Messages emphasized the right to self-defense, family safety, and personal freedom — not party politics. That authenticity drove extraordinary engagement.
Campaign Strategy & Budget
In the first quarter of 2024, Hunter Nation launched a statewide multimedia messaging campaign targeting conservative hunters, gun owners, and outdoor enthusiasts. The outreach contacted approximately 176,000 voters, with more than 138,000 confirmed opens, producing a 75 percent open rate and over 1,200 verified responses from citizens confirming they contacted their legislators. This level of engagement far exceeded national benchmarks for issue advocacy campaigns, which typically average open rates betwe
en 30 and 40 percent.
The data further revealed that approximately 2,700 recipients took measurable action, such as calling or emailing their state senator or representative to express support for Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 12. The total cost of the campaign was $17,000, averaging $6.30 per constituent action. This efficiency ratio illustrates the value of targeted, low-cost digital outreach as a means of influencing public policy outcomes.
Precision Targeting and Execution
Hunter Nation used advanced voter and interest-based targeting to identify Louisiana’s most active hunting and gun-owning households. Campaign Now supported the operational framework, managing message delivery, response tracking, and real-time optimization.
Each recipient received a personalized multimedia text featuring Ted Nugent’s video urging hunters to contact their legislators immediately in support of Senate Bill 1. Messages included one-tap links for calling or emailing their specific representatives, creating a direct pipeline from voter to policymaker.
The result: over 170,000 citizens reached, 75% open rate, and a response surge that lawmakers described as “unlike anything seen before” for a state-level bill.
Demographic Trends
Participation was strongest in parishes where hunting is a defining way of life — Ascension, Lafourche, and Natchitoches — with rural and suburban regions producing nearly half of all verified constituent actions.
Urban areas such as East Baton Rouge and Jefferson contributed moderate but significant engagement, showing the campaign’s cultural reach across demographics.
The most responsive audience segments were:
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Men aged 30–55
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Veterans and lifelong hunters
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Families prioritizing self-protection
Women who engaged often cited family safety as their top reason for supporting the bill, highlighting how Hunter Nation’s message resonated beyond traditional gun-rights rhetoric.
Impact on Legislative Momentum
Within 72 hours of launch, Louisiana legislators reported being inundated with constituent calls and emails supporting Constitutional Carry. This surge in engagement gave hesitant lawmakers the confidence to vote “yes.” Governor Landry, Senator Blake Miguez, and several House leaders credited the wave of hunter-driven communication with securing the bill’s momentum through both chambers.
The campaign proved that organized, values-driven grassroots mobilization could outpace and outperform traditional lobbying or media-heavy strategies — at a fraction of the cost.
Conclusion
The passage of Louisiana’s Constitutional Carry law stands as a testament to the enduring power of hunters’ voices and community-driven advocacy. Hunter Nation’s effort didn’t just pass a bill — it redefined how cultural credibility and modern technology can merge to move legislation.
Through strategic collaboration with Campaign Now, Hunter Nation demonstrated that authentic messengers, precise targeting, and actionable outreach can shift political landscapes in days, not months.
In Louisiana, hunters didn’t just protect their rights — they reclaimed their place as the guardians of freedom, faith, and self-reliance.
In the Media
Earned media—such as news articles, radio interviews, and editorial features—offers significant advantages for advocacy organizations like Hunter Nation. Coverage in respected third-party outlets provides a level of credibility and authenticity and signals to both the public and policymakers that Hunter Nation’s work has broad relevance and legitimacy.
This type of exposure also amplifies reach, allowing Hunter Nation to engage new audiences beyond its existing supporter base. Media coverage highlighting campaigns, such as Ted Nugent’s outreach encouraging Louisianians to back Constitutional Carry, not only reinforces the organization’s influence but also drives organic conversations across communities and social media. Ultimately, earned media strengthens Hunter Nation’s reputation, elevates its message, and magnifies the impact of its grassroots efforts—turning advocacy into a visible, credible, and widely shared movement.
Nugent Texts Louisianans to Support Constitutional Carry - Audacy.com
Ted Nugent Drums Up Support for Concealed Carry Changes - 97.3 The DAWG
About Hunter Nation:
Hunter Nation is the nation’s leading grassroots advocacy organization committed to protecting America’s hunting heritage and defending the foundational values of faith, family, and freedom. Built on the belief that hunters are among the most patriotic and civically minded citizens in the country, Hunter Nation works to unite millions of outdoorsmen and women into a powerful voice for constitutional rights and traditional values.
About Campaign Now:
Campaign Now is a national grassroots strategy and consulting firm focused on conservative voter engagement and public policy advocacy. With more than twenty years of experience in campaign management, voter modeling, and legislative mobilization, John Connors has built a reputation for helping organizations translate public sentiment into measurable political impact.
Campaign Now has led strategic initiatives across dozens of states, specializing in turnout operations, legislative advocacy, and data-driven grassroots campaigns that connect everyday citizens to the policy process. Recent work includes advising advocacy groups and political coalitions on digital organizing, cultural messaging, and issue-based mobilization that strengthens conservative participation at every level of government. His approach to politics reflects his core belief that civic engagement begins at the community level and that lasting change happens when voters are informed, empowered, and active in shaping the laws that affect their lives.
Outside of his professional work, John Connors loves spending time outdoors playing tennis, fishing and exploring the Texas Hill Country with his family. John was a very active hunter in Wisconsin’s Northwoods while growing up, hunting ruffed grouse and white tailed deer and a short stint trapping in the Chequamegon- Nicolet National Forest.
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