Exactly. So if the R's were all Mitt Romney's they would be swept into power. BTW Reagan, Bush and the other Bush were very anti-gun. 43 was chomping at the bit to sign a massive "assault" ban he just never got one across his desk. Thankfully he appointed two crucial SCOTUS justices that stopped the progressive's revisionist sophistry trying to re-interpret the 2nd as the founders sitting around worrying that one day the government wouldn't be allowed to lord guns over an unarmed populace and all they can have are the bare minimum needed for sports and recreation.

Conversely, if the D's dropped the "confiscate confiscate confiscate" fantasy (registration is step one in all cases anyway) they would win more elections. Or lose less anyway.