Posted on 08/09/2010 6:54:50 PM PDT by randita
NRA chooses Edwards in Texas By: Kasie Hunt August 9, 2010 06:57 PM EDT
Texas Rep. Chet Edwards is the latest endangered Democrat to win a critical conservative credential: an endorsement from the National Rifle Association.
Edwards’s campaign announced he had received the pro-gun rights organization’s backing on Monday. "I cannot imagine any candidate in our district who would not want the endorsement of the NRA Victory Fund, which is by far the largest gun rights organization in the country,” Edwards spokesman Megan Jacobs said in a statement.
Edwards is facing self-funded businessman Bill Flores, who has attacked him for voting in favor of the bank bailout and the stimulus bill.
“Bill Flores is a strong supporter of the 2nd amendment, filled out a perfect NRA questionnaire that received an AQ rating, is a life member of the NRA and the Texas State Rifle Association and has already been endorsed by Gun Owners of America. Bill will never receive an F rating from the NRA as Congressman Edwards did in 2003,” said Flores campaign manager Matt Mackowiak.
Edwards has been a GOP target for nearly a decade and has yet to lose a race—even though former President George W. Bush calls his district home.
Still, the national political environment is working against him, and Republicans have been quick to note Flores’s internal polling shows him ahead.
Both Edwards and Flores raised over $600,000 between April and June, though Edwards is sitting on more than $2.1 million in cash to Flores’s $415,000.
That makes the NRA endorsement all the more welcome—and Edwards isn’t the only vulnerable Democrat to win NRA support this year. Mississippi Rep. Travis Childers and Virginia Rep. Rick Boucher also have the group’s backing, a welcome endorsement for both.
Ties with conservative congressional Democrats have been key for the NRA. The group’s influence allowed it to negotiate a loophole in sweeping campaign finance legislation designed to limit outside groups’ influence in elections. The bill, dubbed the DISCLOSE Act, didn’t pass muster in the Senate.
But the NRA has taken flak from its conservative membership for supporting candidates on the left— and has been particularly roiled by suggestions it would endorse endangered Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The group ultimately issued a statement saying it had not yet made a decision about whether to endorse Reid.
© 2010 Capitol News Company, LLC
If the NRA has to only endose insiders then the NRA is a complete failure.
The NRA should be able to say that ANYONE can take office and would have a pro second amendment mindset.
Endorsing a democrat is a demonstration of NRA failure.
The NRA is not getting my financial assistance any longer.
I am now a member of Gun Owners of America.
They are ROCK SOLID as opposed to the NRA.
The NRA should be able to say that ANYONE can take office and would have a pro second amendment mindset.
Endorsing a democrat is a demonstration of NRA failure.
By endorsing the Democrat Edwards, the NRA will not get our membership
renewal.
Glad we waited. Mine membership is up this month. Hubby’s was up last month.
Looks like they finally got to the NRA. What has happened? More corruption? Sold out for something in return? What’s left?
I think the NRA has become something like AARP... too big, too close to crooked politicians, and completely out of touch with it’s original charter.
In 1994 I ran against an entrenched Democrat for a Texas house seat. My opponent had voted against the Texas concealed carry bill twice while I was strongly advocating FOR that measure. The NRA endorsed him over me after which I promptly removed my name from the roles of the NRA and joined GOA. Never been sorry for doing so.
The NRA top dogs probably imagine Pelosi will have them slaughtered last.
When will the people wake up, I mean really wake up and realize these career politicians are the reason for the economics mess we have.
The soon-to-be Depression after this Recession is solely Congress-caused!
Really? The NRA? Conservative? What's "conservative" about backing a leftist?
pfft. That would mean any time we vote Repub we are voting for Steele and the RNC.
NRA may not be a Republican organization, but when NRA support CommieCrates who vote for the bailout against a Republican 2nd Amendment supporting candidate, I Object. I will give NRA not another dime.
ping
A “Conservative” Democrat today is the same as a “moderate” muslim. In other words, there ain’t no such thing.
Any Democrat will say anything to get elected, and once elected, the spots show through.Anyone who believes anything a Democrat says while running for office does so at their own peril. And to put it gently, are not wise.
The NRA does not hate the Tea Party. The NRA has always been a non-political organization with a single purpose: to protect gun ownership.
Their rules for political endorsement are published every two years in their magazines. The rules are designed to gain support for gun ownership. Roughly, endorse whoever supports guns the most with actions (not words); in case of a tie, go with the incumbent (I suppose because they have more influence).
I hope Sen. Reid will be their exception. However, if they break their own rules, incumbent Democrats will take notice, and they will be harder to influence in the future.
The NRA has been extremely successful in what it does… supporting gun ownership. Every two years they restate: The NRA is not a political organization… political party has nothing to do with the decision… nor do other issues have anything to do with the decision... the NRA is a single issue organization.
NRA believes their endorsement rules are why they can be so influential on Capitol Hill.
years.
I would mention this endorsement to them and point out that an endorsement of Chet Edwards is an endorsement of Pelosi and Reid. There is no distinction.
The only thing that surprises me about this is that anyone would be surprised about this. I let my membership lapse a couple of years ago after they continued to support John Murtha. They keep sending me crap in the mail and I keep throwing it into the trash.
Ditto...cancelled my membership a number of years ago, as well.
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