As a devil's advocate I have to ask, where was the NRA when our second amendment rights were being decimated in states like NY, NJ, CT, MA, etc.
I'm not defending or advocating background checks even though I have to live with them. I just find it ironic that there is all this outcry now. We've been suffering for decades.
Democrats gradually won more and more elections based on the makeup of the working community and voter demographics (schools & colleges, unions, public workers, legal community, labs funded by government, etc. etc.)
Kennedy influence fed the beast.
Eventually Dems drove out enough Republicans so that they could control gerrymandering (the reverse is done in Texas).
Once they had dominance AND gerrymandering, they were able to pass even more oppressive laws (our legislature was headed by William Bulger, brother of gangster Whitely Bulger).
Like most blue areas (including our current federal government), no legislation moved forward if it wasn't appealing to democrats and ANY legislation passed if it would help induce Republicans to re-locate out of state. Again, the reverse of this can and does happen in RED states.
Eventually, the NRA gave up in the interest of prioritizing the success rate of their investments.
Sorry for the political nature of this, but you asked.
It can happen to anyone - even at a national level.