No, it isn't.
The cause for the uptick in attendees? Why, you can thank the resurgence of gun lobbying on the main stage after this last year’s violent series of mass shootings.
No, you can't.
What you can ascribe the sudden passion to is the resurgence of oppressive, unconstitutional legislative proposals in Congress and the relentless trumpeting of them in corrupt and partisan media. This isn't really difficult to figure out - practically any one of the 80,000 attendees might reveal that deep secret to a journalist curious enough to ask.
I could stand a little less of the poor little provincial sucking up to the New York sophisticates shtick. In this matter your audience consists of ignoramuses, Maegan dear. Trust me.
note: the NRA membership is now FIVE million.
the MSM knows this, they are just in denial.
One million new members is a political movement. Now we just need those people to become active on local politics and oust the weaklings and GOP useful idiots.