Mic, Anthony Smith

Jeremy Heimans believes he’s figured out the secret to the National Rifle Association’s power — and it isn’t necessarily what you think.

“The NRA has systematically sought to project this image of its own might, even though it’s actually one of the less effective spenders in U.S. elections in terms of outcomes,” Heimans, the CEO and co-founder of Purpose, told Mic. “It often takes credit for races that either the pro-gun supporting candidate was going to win anyway, or where it invested less than $100 in the outcome of the race.”

“We all want to be more powerful, and we all want to make change and impact in the world,” Heimans said. “Today we have a choice about what kind of power we choose to exercise: old power and new power.”

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