Today, state Representative Mandi Ballinger (R-23) received the Defender of Freedom Award from the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action in recognition of her tireless efforts to defend liberty and protect the interests of law-abiding gun owners and sportsmen in Georgia.
Since her time in the Georgia Legislature began in 2013, Representative Ballinger has been a strong and steady advocate for the cherished Second Amendment rights of not just the citizens of her district, but of all Georgians. A Member of the National Rifle Association, Representative Ballinger has worked tirelessly to be a voice for firearms owners. Since first elected, Representative Ballinger has taken the lead to preserve and protect the rights of law-abiding firearms owners with her sponsorship of several pro-gun bills, each being critical legislation that ensured law-abiding adults across our great country could effectively defend themselves in the Peach State. In 2022, she was instrumental in the development and passage of Georgia’s Constitutional Carry legislation, which was signed by Governor Brian Kemp on April 12, 2022. Without her steadfast dedication, Constitutional Carry would not have passed the Georgia legislature.
Representative Ballinger has earned an “A+” rating from NRA-PVF, and as a recipient of the NRA-ILA Defender of Freedom Award, she joins an esteemed list of individuals who have gone "above and beyond" in the fight to defend the Second Amendment.
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. More than six million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services.