The Emergence of the Second Amendment Sanctuary Movement: Partisan Federalism, Not White Protectionism.

The article examines the factors influencing the enactment of Second Amendment Sanctuary (2AS) ordinances, which are local laws that prohibit enforcement of certain state and federal gun control measures. Analyzing county-level data across the United States, the study tests two main hypotheses: that 2AS adoption is driven by partisan federalism—where partisan actors use local policies to resist opposing party agendas—and that it is influenced by racial dynamics, particularly the political decline of White Americans. The findings provide strong support for the partisan federalism explanation, showing that counties with higher Republican vote shares are significantly more likely to enact 2AS ordinances, while evidence linking 2AS adoption to White population size or decline is weak and inconsistent. Additionally, competitive counties are less likely to pass 2AS laws, suggesting that such ordinances serve as symbolic partisan signals primarily in electorally secure Republican areas rather than as broad voter mobilization tools.