On June 11, 2024, Texas Gun Rights announced Kyle Rittenhouse as the pro-gun organization’s outreach director. 

“Joining Texas Gun Rights is an awesome opportunity to continue advocating for our constitutional freedoms,” Rittenhouse declared in a press release. “I am excited to work with TXGR to mobilize Texans in support of their right to keep and bear arms. Together, we can ensure that our voices are heard and our rights are protected in Austin and D.C.”

Rittenhouse gained national notoriety after he shot two men in self-defense in 2020 . He ended up being acquitted of all of the charges pressed against him in 2021. 

At 17 years of age, Rittenhouse participated in a Black Lives Matter rally in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he was open carrying an AR-15-style rifle. On the night of August 25, 2020, people took to the streets of Kenosha to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake. 

Rittenhouse, a resident of Illinois at the time, traveled to Kenosha to maintain order. Nevertheless, leftist agitators such as Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber, and Gaige Grosskreutz attacked Rittenhouse. The then-teen shot and killed Rosenbaum and Huber, while wounding Grosskreutz.

“Kyle’s unwavering dedication to the Second Amendment and his firsthand experience with the legal and cultural battles surrounding gun rights make him an invaluable addition to our team,” declared Chris McNutt, president of Texas Gun Rights, in a press release announcing the decision to bring Rittenhouse onboard as outreach director.

”“His unique perspective and uncompromising energy will undoubtedly revolutionize our outreach and advocacy efforts. With Kyle on board, we are not just defending gun rights — we are leading a bold and unstoppable charge to ensure every Texan’s right to keep and bear arms is fiercely protected,” McNutt said in a concluding remark. 

Texas Gun Rights has been one of the staunchest pro-gun lobbies in the Lone Star State for the past decade. Its relentless activism has resulted in several notable policy changes such as the passage of Constitutional Carry in 2021. 

Bringing Rittenhouse into the fold will only make TXGR stronger and position it as the most principled pro-gun lobby in Texas.  With Rittenhouse in the mix, TXGR will likely pursue even bolder pro-gun reforms ranging from the nullification of unsensational federal gun control laws to the complete abolition of gun-free zones.