California Gun Owners Have a Bigger Problem Than the Election

The 2026 election is over, and plenty of California gun owners aren't happy with the results. But what if the biggest obstacle to protecting our Second Amendment rights isn't who's sitting in the governor's office or controlling the legislature? What if part of the problem is us? Rick Travis of the California Rifle & Pistol Association (CRPA) joins me for a candid, sometimes humorous, and occasionally uncomfortable conversation about what comes next for California gun owners. Rick explains why CRPA isn't panicking over the election results, how the organization plans to approach the next legislative session, and why working with lawmakers across party lines has already produced some surprising successes. We also discuss something the firearms community doesn't always like to acknowledge: Gun owners aren't all politically conservative, they don't all vote alike, and they don't all share the same interests. Some hunt. Some shoot competitively. Others simply want to protect themselves and their families. If we insist that everyone think alike before we work together, how many potential allies are we turning away? Along the way, we talk about California's financial challenges, the growing demand for firearms training, the cost of obtaining a concealed carry permit, and the opportunities CRPA sees for expanding access to shooting ranges and protecting gun owners' rights. And yes, Rick and I may irritate a few people along the way! But this isn't a conversation about giving up, crying in our beer, or predicting the end of the world. It's about recognizing where we are, learning from what happened, and getting back to work. As I've always told my kids, "You win or you learn. You only lose if you refuse to learn something." CHAPTERS 00:00 Why gun owners need to stop fighting among themselves 01:00 The election is over. What happens next? 02:00 Why CRPA isn't panicking about the election 03:00 The Second Amendment doesn't belong to a political party 05:00 The growing influence of independent voters 06:00 Political divisions and opportunities in California 07:00 California's budget and financial challenges 11:00 What gun legislation could be coming next? 12:00 New gun owners and changing demographics 13:00 The rising cost of concealed carry permits 14:00 Why California needs more shooting ranges and instructors 16:00 Who really makes up the Second Amendment community? 18:00 Finding common ground among gun owners 19:00 Working across party lines in Sacramento 21:00 Why election doom and gloom accomplishes nothing 22:00 Rick's warning about political infighting 24:00 You win or you learn 25:00 What CRPA expects from the new administration 26:00 CRPA's legislative strategy and recent successes 28:00 Encouraging signs of bipartisan cooperation 30:00 Stop complaining and start doing something 33:00 What California gun owners can do right now 34:00 How to get involved with CRPA 36:00 Final thoughts and a salute to our Marines and veterans GET INVOLVED California Rifle & Pistol Association (CRPA): https://crpa.org/ Learn more about firearms training, California CCW classes, and Practical Defense Systems: https://pdsclasses.com/ Whether you agree with everything Rick and I say or think we've lost our minds, I welcome your thoughts in the comments. Just remember, disagreeing with someone doesn't mean we can't work together on the things we have in common. Thanks for watching! Recorded November 9, 2026. This discussion reflects the election results, legislative outlook, and information available at the time of the interview. Predictions and proposed legislative actions discussed in the video are not final outcomes. Practical Defense Systems: https://pdsclasses.com/ 2nd Call Defense: https://www.secondcall-defense.com/enroll/?affiliate=20796 Subscribe for exclusive content: https://gunguytv.locals.com/ My channels: Practical Defense Systems Security & Firearms Training: Website http://pdsclasses.com/ • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE_cilUcL18p6st9gcJFb8g • Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-1275344 My Christian Channel (Vlog and Bible Lessons): • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm_86xew1ccK9q4FB8IBZuA • Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-1302764 Social Media: • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GunGuyTV • X: https://x.com/pdscalifornia Join the fight: • Join Gun Owners of California: https://www.gunownersca.com/membership/ About comments: Positive and negative comments are welcome. Please feel free. That said, I believe in being respectful of others, so "trolling" comments and comments that contain profanity or sexually explicit material will be deleted.