Ryan's ads blasted Poshard for being to the right of him on many issues [especially RKBA, but others as well]. If a candidate gets blasted by his opponent for "wanting to legalize concealed guns", but wins, that would suggest pretty strongly that carry licensing resonates with voters but more gun control does not.
Much as people complain about King George, he really hasn't govered that differently from the way he campaigned. He ran as a corrupt left-wing liberal and that's how he governed.