The National Rifle Association will mix politics with guns at its national convention this weekend in Nashville, Tenn.
Officially called the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits, the event will take place Friday-Sunday in the Music City Center. More than 70,000 people are expected to attend, which would make it the largest convention in the history of Nashville.
The 450,000 square feet of space will house more than 450 exhibitors selling everything from guns and related accessories to wildlife art and ATVs, according to
the NRA's website.
With a presidential election taking place next year, plenty of 2016 hopefuls will be on hand as well. They will speak at the NRA-IL Leadership Forum.
According to the organization's website, NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and NRA-ILA executive director Chris Cox are confirmed as speakers, along with several Republican politicians: Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr., South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and businessman Donald Trump.
Cruz has already announced his candidacy for president, and several others on the above list are considering a White House run as well.
The NRA convention is a place for the potential candidates to test the waters and gauge how their messages are received among the NRA members in attendance.
Other happenings at the weekend convention will include concerts, auctions, and activities for children.
The NRA's managing director of public affairs, Andrew Arulanandam,
told USA Today that 86,000 people attended the 2013 convention in Houston.
Arulanandam also told the newspaper that the NRA put together a strict security plan for the event, which includes removing the firing pins from all guns on the convention floor so they cannot be used. Guns purchased there must be picked up at a Federal Firearms License dealer near the buyer's home.
Most of the potential Republican candidates for president are longtime gun owners, with the exception of Rubio — who
purchased his first gun during his 2010 Senate run.
During last year's midterm elections, Walker
received a huge boost from the NRA in the form of an advertising campaign worth more than a million dollars.