Trump to address NRA members in Pennsylvania

Former President Trump will deliver the keynote address at the National Rifle Association (NRA) Presidential Forum in Harrisburg, Pa., on Feb. 9, the NRA announced Monday.

The event will be Trump’s eighth address to NRA members, according to the NRA press release, and it will also be the Republican presidential candidate’s first speaking event in Pennsylvania this year.

The NRA statement lauded Trump for his work as president, specifically appointing pro-gun judges and Supreme Court justices who, the NRA said, “played a pivotal role in landmark Second Amendment rulings … further cementing his legacy as a defender of gun rights.”

The statement also praised Trump for “his personal dedication” to the issue.

“President Trump’s unwavering support for the Second Amendment, and his track record of protecting the rights of gun owners make him an exemplary speaker for this momentous event. His fellow NRA members can’t wait to hear from him for the eighth time,” NRA President Charles Cotton said in the press release.

The presidential forum comes as part of the NRA’s “Great American Outdoor Show,” which will take place over nine days and feature more than 1,000 “exhibitors,” according to the press release. Last year, the event drew 200,000 NRA members, the association said in the statement.

The event will take place ahead of the South Carolina primary, held Feb. 24, and after the New Hampshire primary, which takes place Jan. 23.

Trump currently leads by about 55 points in The Hill/Decision Desk HQ’s national polling average of the GOP primaries. His support stands at 66.9 percent, followed by former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley with 12.1 percent. The polling average includes polls from before Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ended his campaign Sunday, showing him with 10.7 percent support.