Republican Ticket Gets NRA Endorsement
The National Rifle Association gave their highest ratings – and endorsement – to all three candidates on the Republican statewide ticket running for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general today.
Ed Gillespie, state Sen. Jill Vogel, and John Adams all received top ratings for their positions on preserving Second Amendment rights.
“The team of Gillespie, Vogel, and Adams will ensure that law-abiding Virginians have the ability to protect and defend themselves,” said Chris W. Cox, chairman of the NRA’s Political Victory Fund. “We need to elect leaders in the Commonwealth who will support our rights. Voters need to send [former New York City Mayor Michael] Bloomberg a strong, clear message — that his gun control agenda is not welcome in Virginia.”
For Gillespie, the NRA-PVF eviscerated his opponent, Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam. Northam, who has an ‘F’ rating from them, was called “jarringly out-of-touch.”
“[Northam] supports gun rationing that would restrict Second Amendment freedoms and supports banning commonly owned firearms and magazines. In addition, he supports criminalizing the private sale of firearms between lifelong friends and family members.”
Northam, of course, has also been endorsed by Bloomberg.
Vogel, who during the Republican nomination contest already picked-up the endorsement of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, also was praised by the NRA for her legislative actions on gun rights:
“As a state lawmaker, Vogel sponsored legislation that would allow victims of domestic violence to defend themselves and cosponsored legislation requiring Virginia to recognize concealed carry permits from every other state.”
Vogel’s opponent, Justin Fairfax, has been endorsed by the Pride Fund to End Gun Violence.
“Justin has earned our endorsement because he supports universal background checks, banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals,” said Jason Lindsay, Executive Director of Pride Fund.
Adams easily obtained the NRA nod when you consider his opponent, Attorney General Mark Herring, went rogue and opposed concealed carry reciprocity agreements with 25 other states, running him afoul of even Governor Terry McAuliffe.
“Adams has made clear that he will work to expand reciprocity agreements with other states to ensure that the rights of Virginia’s concealed carry permit holders are recognized when they travel outside the state. Herring supports a gun rationing scheme and criminalizing the private sale of firearms between lifelong friends and family members.”
Not particularly shocking that the NRA-PVF would be endorsing this GOP ticket, considering the alternative.
