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NRA Openly Floats A Harry Reid Endorsement

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  July 13th, 2010 at 12:47 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

The NRA is now openly floating, or at least allowing to be floated, its endorsement of Harry Reid, a man who voted for the Brady Gun Bill. In a New York Times puff piece on the NRA that largely gives the NRA credit for things it tried to undermine (more on that later), there is this:

A point of contention on both the left and the right is the N.R.A.’s close working relationship with Mr. Reid, the Senate leader who helped get a number of pro-gun rights measures included in broader bills.

That relationship has led some gun rights supporters to lobby against the idea that the N.R.A. might endorse Mr. Reid in his tough re-election campaign this November in Nevada.

The N.R.A. is not tamping down speculation.

The NRA’s lobbyist, Chris Cox, claims that Chuck Schumer would be Majority Leader were Harry Reid gone (note the NRA’s implicit expectation of a Democratic Senate majority). But here’s the thing — Chuck Schumer could not get anti-gun legislation through the Senate and what’s more, Schumer, when head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, recognized the damage to the Democrats being anti-gun was having. Many of the Democrats in the Senate the NRA loves were people supported by Chuck Schumer.

So they have gone from denying they would endorse Harry Reid to “not tamping down speculation.”

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COMMENTS

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  • chihank

    Rasmussen Reports has Angle leading Dirty Harry, 46-43.

    The NRA flirting with Dirty Harry is disturbing, Even more troublesome are some GOP insiders like Sen. Bob Bennett hoping for a Reid win to teach the Tea Partiers a lesson.

  • renny

    Reid is only conservative in NV. In DC, he’s a raving progressive. Doesn’t the NRA get it?

  • izoneguy

    N/T

  • smitch61

    He must have an opinion? This is disgusting…

  • earlgrey

    With the NRA supporting Reid, than she coudl lose this thing pretty easily.

    Any ideas on why they are so close? Are gun owners so beholden to the NRA that they are happy to swallow the bad medicine that is Obamacare?

  • d_lamar

    If the NRA doesn’t quickly deny their endorsement of Reid, I will not be renewing my membership.

    I don’t understand how the NRA can be so blind to what is in their best interests.

  • Swamp_Yankee

    … but its blasphemous around redstate. Angle rally was never a great candidate. She has a history of losing races and has trouble with the middle.

    That doesn’t mean she is not a great conservative, but there is a difference between being a conservative and a candidate. Angle has to keep the focus on Reid.

  • Puritan

    Members should register their displeasure at this by going to https://secure.nraila.org/Contact.aspx and submit a comment.

  • http://twitter.com/zoltanne zoltanne

    Memberships can be cancelled. The 2nd Amendment needs protection. It’s just that simple.

  • http://twitter.com/zoltanne zoltanne

    Tell them your sentiments! If the NRA becomes polluted with the likes of slimeballs like Reid, it would be the end of gun rights and the future of the 2nd Amendment would be reduced to nothing.

    Isn’t it interesting that the Reid-NRA partnership comes after several recent legal wins?

  • stnmikita

    The recent behavior of the NRA (DISCLOSE act) has been extremely troubling to me.

    As a Life Member I have long been a supporter of this outstanding organization, but I almost spit out my coffee when I saw this recent article in American Rifleman:

    http://www.NRAILA.org/Issues/Articles/Read.aspx?id=414&issue=54

    This article may have something to do with the fact that the rumors of a Reid endorsement are not being flatly denied by the NRA. I never thought I’d see the day when the National Rifle Association started to look like a ‘go along to get along’ kind of group.

    Sickening.

  • spainishirish

    but here you are exactly right, Eric. Precisely because the NRA is or at least was a single-issue organization, it had a duty to try to preserve its ability to advocate for Second Amendment rights. And precisely because the NRA is a single-issue organization, it has a duty to endorse the most pro-gun Senate candidate. For the reasons you have cited, that candidate is not Reid.

  • chihank

    Harry Reid is a Mormon. Many Mormons like the fact that one of their own is in a high profile position in DC. Thus the Mormons in NV just might send Reid back to the Senate. I think Mitt Romney, Glenn Beck, and Orrin Hatch need to visit NV to talk some sense to the people.

  • pirate55

    …just as an endorsement by them of Harry Reid would be an abandonment of conservatives who have long anchored the 2nd Amendment positions for the lawful citizens of this country. So if it is an endorsement of Harry Reid, the NRA wants to make I will cite the quote associated with the real “Dirty Harry”. Did I unskillfully endorse one, two, three, four, or five candidates? In all this excitement, no one really knows. So……Do you feel lucky NRA? Make MY DAY! I’ll resign in a heartbeat.

  • thelibrul

    NRA is an advocacy group that looks out for itself. Democrats have a very good chance at keeping the majority and they have to look out for themselves. That’s the long and short if it.

  • conservativecrusade

    this site to date……I mean no way we would have ever known that the NRA and especially the dems are looking out for themselves. Good Grief!

    But while the NRA may be looking out for themselves, the fact is a vast majority of their members are not democrats. Democrats have guns, but as a general rule any democrat left of moderate do not support totally free gun rights. What has happened to the NRA over the years is they were slowly taken over by progressive people. They are slowly but surely leaving their original beliefs in favor of more prgressive views. The only thing that will wake them up is a mass exodus of its conservative members to other true supporters of gun rights groups.

    If they do not come out against Reid, do not support Angle, do not speak out strongly that they are not endorsing Reid, every single conservative needs to drop their membership. We should let the NRA watch themselves sink into oblivion as soon as possible. Let them learn that dems will not fill their membership coffers.

  • conservativecrusade

    this site to date……I mean no way we would have ever known that the NRA and especially the dems are looking out for themselves. Good Grief!

    But while the NRA may be looking out for themselves, the fact is a vast majority of their members are not democrats. Democrats have guns, but as a general rule any democrat left of moderate do not support totally free gun rights. What has happened to the NRA over the years is they were slowly taken over by progressive people. They are slowly but surely leaving their original beliefs in favor of more prgressive views. The only thing that will wake them up is a mass exodus of its conservative members to other true supporters of gun rights groups.

    If they do not come out against Reid, do not support Angle, do not speak out strongly that they are not endorsing Reid, every single conservative needs to drop their membership. We should let the NRA watch themselves sink into oblivion as soon as possible. Let them learn that dems will not fill their membership coffers.

  • E Pluribus Unum

    It will take awhile for this to be fully felt, but this single act, which is the culmination of numerous lesser acts (like promising *not* to score certain legislative votes, that they should have been scoring).

    This is the loudest act yet. Their decline begins now, and before you know it, they will not be the preiminent pro-gun lobby, the “Kleenex” of the industry, the de facto face of 2nd Amendment advocates.

    I don’t know who it will be, but they will lose 1/3 of their membership in the next 12 months, I wager. And that will be the beginning. I did not join the NRA so they could endorse the likes of Harry “the war is lost, and by the way, how about a nice heallth care takeover, and would you like an energy tax with that” Reid against a Tea party candidate, even a sloppy one.

    This is extremely simple, and everybody knows it. The second amendment can be defended ONLY because the first amendment exists.

    Retards.

  • E Pluribus Unum

    It will take awhile for this to be fully felt, but this single act, which is the culmination of numerous lesser acts (like promising *not* to score certain legislative votes, that they should have been scoring).

    This is the loudest act yet. Their decline begins now, and before you know it, they will not be the preiminent pro-gun lobby, the “Kleenex” of the industry, the de facto face of 2nd Amendment advocates.

    I don’t know who it will be, but they will lose 1/3 of their membership in the next 12 months, I wager. And that will be the beginning. I did not join the NRA so they could endorse the likes of Harry “the war is lost, and by the way, how about a nice heallth care takeover, and would you like an energy tax with that” Reid against a Tea party candidate, even a sloppy one.

    This is extremely simple, and everybody knows it. The second amendment can be defended ONLY because the first amendment exists.

    Retards.

  • Wine Country Dog

    It just expired and I let them know I am not renewing as long as an endorsement for Reid is on their table. It’s time to stand up and let them know “This is unacceptable”.

    That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

  • http://aposematic.wordpress.com aposematic

    The attitude you refer to by the NRA exemplifies exactly why America is in the trouble it now sees itself in. Many times the choosing of the lesser of two evils is the only choice, a perfect example was the 2008, election between McCain and Obama,

    In the Nevada Senate election the choice is not between the lesser of two evils–the choice is between good (Angle) and evil (Reid) and has nothing to do with Schumer. The NRA is giving up with that attitude, why not have the attitude a Republican will be majority leader of the Senate and support the Republican in Nevada?

    The NRA is reminding me more and more of the AARP, screw your membership (elderly death panels-Berwick)for Government money (payoffs for support)!

  • thelibrul

    Their recent decisions have pretty much put a huge dent into the Left’s attempt to curtail gun rights. The 2nd Amendment is now officially incorporated on the states and, absent an Amendment, which will never happen, any unreasonable restriction will be knocked down. I’m going to guess that these decisions are another reason why the NRA is feeling comfortable endorsing Sen. Reid. The Right has pretty much won the war over guns. All that is left is for the courts to define what regulations unconstitutionally infringe on our right and which don’t.

  • Locked and Loaded

    Keeping in mind that securing the pork to open a shooting range really does nothing to secure Second Amendment rights, please detail the reasons Reid is more of a pro-gun candidate than Angle.

  • Locked and Loaded

    Keeping in mind that securing the pork to open a shooting range really does nothing to secure Second Amendment rights, please detail the reasons Reid is more of a pro-gun candidate than Angle.

  • caboose

    denied that they knew anything about an endorcement of Harry Reid. The recruiter tried to change the subject and get me to renew membership. I refused and informed them they would not get me as a member again, unless they clarify their stand on the Reid thing.I maintained a vote or endorcement of Reed is a vote for a socialist and an enemy of the people right to bear arms.

  • spainishirish

    For the reasons you have cited, that candidate is not Reid.

  • kowalski

    I’m trying to tell people at the NRA why they shouldn’t be playing this game in more eloquent terms, but the gist of it is:

    “DON’T DO IT MON.”

    If they endorse Harry Reid they lose me, and it’s a very stupid, stupid thing to do.

  • kowalski

    The real question, assuming you’re right, is this:

    Let’s say the NRA takes the Stuck on Stupid Option and chooses to endorse Harry Reid. It will probably result in an exodus, the extent of which has yet to be determined, of its members.

    The question is whether the loss of members will translate into a gain in members by another organization that will be at least as effective as the NRA has been. And there is my big problem with them doing it: I **know** they’ll lose members and they can ill afford to do that right now.

    People who think Heller and McDonald were the last chapter in what the NRA needs to be doing across this country are wrong. They were the beginning of a new and different phase of legislation.

    I put the burden on the NRA right now not to lose its members and not to lose the support from those members that is essential to the legislative battles to come.

    I’m going to have to start talking about MA House Bill H.4102 at this point. We need NRA members in this state to oppose this legislation — right now. We also need all the people in GOAL Massachusetts and here at Redstate, if they have people who live in Massachusetts, who can help block it.

    But the important thing is that the legislation itself represents the new legislative landscape: there are no such things as outright gun bans, and what is going to happen instead is a vastly increased effort to incrementalize them — as is being done in Massachusetts right now with H.4102.

    I can see that Erick wants me to write a diary about this, so I will.

    But on the larger point about the NRA and losing members and endorsing Harry Reid, I hope they don’t and they don’t.

    By the way just click my sig link to GOAL MA for more about what I’m talking about here. It’s Deval Patrick’s 1-gun-a-month/make everyone into criminals law.

  • conservativecrusade

    try try again my small minded fool! I direct your attention to Chicago. One gun prohibition gets knocked down, they change a few words and run it again. By the time they run out of words, my great, great, great, great grandchildren still have no right to own a gun in Chicago.

    Now try to wrap your tiny brain around that one and stop the nonsense, ok? Now try to keep up, we must never take a break in the fight to keep guns legal, never accept ‘restrictions” on that right, and never cut a break for a group such as the NRA who does not pursue any, and I repeat any, infringement on our rights to have guns.

    Got it……good!

  • Tbone

    and just make your point the best you can? It obvious you have no context about the nature of the NRA.

  • Tbone

    of Reid over Angle? I can’t find it.

    Thank you.

  • Kyle-MI

    What the NRA should keep in mind is that if Obama has the chance to replace one of the conservative justices you can bet that there will be another 2nd Amendment case and the new liberal majority will have no qualms about overturning these new rulings. And you can bet that Reid will vote for any liberal Justice if his vote is needed.

  • acat

    Because the NRA think of themselves as a single-issue-advocacy group, they haven’t done much in the way of discussing the related nature between the Bill of Rights.

    The First Amendment gives the right to free speech, the right to talk about what freedom and liberty look like.

    The Second Amendment gives the right to bear arms, the right to defend oneself from an aggressive threat with lethal force. The Second can’t be spread without the First, the First “words, just words” without the teeth of the Second to support it.

    And so on.

    The NRA seems to have tried to ignore the interdependence at their own peril.

    Mew

  • acat

    The NRA haven’t actually endorsed yet.. they’re just no longer denying that they plan to.

  • dfwpike

    I hope the NRA doesn’t endorse Reid. If they do, it will be a slap in their face when Sharron Angle wins. And she will… regardless of the NRA’s endorsement.

  • Tbone

    in giving credence to things printed in the New York Times. I am surprised Erick and you are. Why is that?

  • JSobieski

    The NRA has just had a successfull SCt case and legislatively in DC is sitting in a very strong position (i.e. unlike the 90s. NOBODY serious is talking gun control).

    This is exactly when an otherwise sensible individual or organization could become all heady with success and self destruct.

  • tlhanger

    It seems progressives have wormed their way in the NRA.
    You either see the whole thing right or wrong. It is the quasi thoughts that bring on saddness that another American Organization is going down the rat hole towards Socialism. Wake up!

  • jiminga

    the NRA has abandoned its core purpose and wandered off into the wilderness seeking moderation and new members. Both are like RINOs, only acting in the organizations’ interests.

  • ncmike

    I’ve already emailed the NRA my outrage at their position on Harry Reid. My membership card, sliced in half ala my AARP card, is going in the mail this afternoon.

  • acat

    I seem to recall a prior diary by Erick on a possible Harry Reid endorsement here: http://www.redstate.com/erick/2010/07/01/nra-now-leans-toward-endorsing-harry-reid/

    That diary relies on sources that I can’t see. Since I don’t know who you are, I don’t know if you can see those sources or not. I do know Erick says he trusts these sources….

    That makes the NYT piece either confirmation or seeking a wider test base for their trial balloon.

    If it’s a trial balloon, killing it early is a Good Idea. If it’s actually ideological waffling, smacking the wafflers upside the head early is also a Good Idea.

    Mew

  • realskinny

    The NRA’s position stated by Cris Cox was that it didn’t affect Firearms and didn’t affect the NRA so they took no position. One could hardly come up with a more shortsighted position or better example of the old story “They came for the Jews but I wasn’t a Jew so did nothing . . . . . .” It ends “When they came for me, there was no one left to help me.”

    It appears a lot of this damage was done when Marian Hammer was President of the NRA. Hammer is a Florida Democrat and activist. She is currently involved in the stop Rubio effort and appeared with Crist in the AFF article.

  • freedmfiter

    Your comment about Mormons and Harry Reid is bigoted and insulting. I am a Mormon and a conservative. Most of my fellow Mormons are likewise. We DO NOT SUPPORT Harry Reid. For most of us his politics conflict with our core values. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) never supports a Politician, they will take positions on moral issues, but that is it. Your characterization is biased and full of prejudice. Besides, I seriously doubt that there are enough Mormons in NV without any “sense” to single handedly send Reid back to the Senate!

  • mtt_from_nc

    The NRA and pro-gun voters have grossly oversimplified this issue: It isn’t that Reid’s a GOOD choice; it’s just that he’s the least bad, IF, and ONLY IF the Dems continue to hold the Senate after the election. And the NRA should state it as such, then reiterate the importance of denying that possibility by positively endorsing a pro-gun candidate. On principle, they should refrain from endorsing anyone who has a track record of sponsoring or voting for anti-gun legislation! The NRA’s positive endorsement carries a lot of weight with a lot of voters, and I can’t imagine why they’re not endorsing a truly pro-gun candidate for the senate! If they don’t like the Republican candidate, then, if there is one, they should endorse the third-party candidate – can you imagine the boost that would give to third parties in the elections?! It would be one of the best things to happen to American democracy in decades. Or, if all that won’t work, then they should simply give their endorsement to the Republican candidate, win or lose, simply based on principle, and let the voters decide. Shame on them for making this a point of anguish for their members and voters!

  • mtt_from_nc

    “Sport hunting for stuffed suits and talking heads!” I bet he’s even got a recipe that would make Speaker souffle sound appetizing, too. :0)

  • Tbone

    is also a Good Idea.

  • acat

    Why they’d support Harry “assault weapons ban” Reid over Angle specifically…

    Couple details.
    – There is no path for the Dems to get back to 60 in the Senate.
    – There is a path that could cost them their majority entirely.
    – Things look worse for the Dems in 2012 than 2010.

    Given that Reid is maybe out of a job in 2012 at the latest (it would be .. uncommon .. for the majority leader who presided over a collapse of his majority to become the minority leader) what makes him worth protecting now?

    Especially if the NRA endorsement could get him out of the Senate entirely?

    Mew

  • chuckl

    Harry Reid is by far the worst possible candidate for the Senate in the country.

    Harry Reid is interested in only benefiting Harry Reid. It does not matter at all what damages he does to the United States or to the State of Nevada.

    Harry Reid has clearly demonstrated that he ignores his constituents wishes.

    Harry reid has in every case supported Barack Obama in the attempts to destroy the security of the U. S. in the matters of border security and military equipment.

    He has supported the destruction of the financial integrity of the U.S.

    He has prevented the establishment of a Nuclear Recycling facility in Nevada that could provide many good paying jobs in Nevada.

    Even though many counties and states have proven that special tax exemptions, even for a limited time, can add significantly to teh states employment totals, Harry has prevent this method from being implemented.

    The only possible competition that Harry Reid has for the title of “WORST SENATOR” comes from Barney Frank.

    Sharon Angle was not my first choice. She was my second choice, but clearly ahead of the rest, all of whom were better than Dingy Harry.

    The NRA has abdicated their position as a defender of the Bill of Rights to become a “paid for shill”.

  • chuckl

    But, Harry Reid in NOT conservative anywhere.

  • thelibrul

    Well, ignoring the unneeded attacks, you should know that the conservatives on the court agree that the 2nd amendment right can be legitimately restricted (felons, the insane, background checks, etc). So, I really doubt that every single restriction on gun rights will be found unconstitutional. No right is unlimited, even the 1st Amendment, and this is for good public policy reasons. I would t want the ex-con buying a gun, and I would wantthe govt to prosecute people for speech that I cites violence. The Supreme Court has given a huge blow to left’s attempt to rid of gun rights. There is still a vocal liberal minority for repealing the right, but now that the Court has deemed it incorporated ontot the states it is likely to not be overturned. So calm down, no reason to attack what I am saying.

  • pittbull

    I’m not a member of the NRA, and I gave AARP the boot a few months ago.
    I wonder if I can join the IPSC.

  • pittbull

    was, is, and always will be a hero of mine.
    I support the Constitution in its entirety, complete, and unabridged.
    The bill of rights is interconnected (sort of). If one falls, the restare in GRAVE danger. The people of the NRA need to nderstand this simple principle.

  • pittbull

    I accidentally ran the two words “rest” and “are” together.
    Wonderful stuff that Romulan ale!

  • thelibrul

    Reid will vote for Kagan, the NRA is scoring the vote. So, here’s a guess, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they say “well, we would’ve supported Reid, but he voted for Kagan and so now we will endorse Angle (or no one” just to try to take cover from the Right’s criticism.

  • Tbone

    playing the horses. The key is to bet more money on the winners than the losers. Consequently, the NRA can not afford to make a mistake in the Harry Reid race based on general ideology.

    Angle is going to have to show she is a solid, potential winner to keep the NRA on the sidelines until they know she is going to be a winner. They may then give her an endorsement that will really have no effect on the race. OTH, if they think Reid will win, they may then give Reid an endorsement that will really have no effect on the race.

    Right now, Reid is in the role of a king and as the old saying goes, “If you going to kill the king, you better make sure you kill the king..

  • cactusjack

    do some campaigning for Angle, to make a pretty sure thing a sure thing. Being LDS, may I propose a truce with other religious conservatives: I will forgive the good Baptists the Clintons and the good Catholics too many years of the Kennedys if you will forgive us Dingy Harry.

  • acat

    What we’re seeing, TBone, is the NRA planning on endorsing Reid, who is surely no friend to firearms owners, and doing so early enough to damage Angle’s chances.

    This does not strike me as the kind of passive “endorse the obvious winner after the race is won” kind of scenario you’re describing.

    It may be foolish of me to attribute malice here, but I’m certainly going to attribute incompetence on the part of the NRA leadership.*

    Mew

    *if not incompetence for not recognizing Reid is a scorpion but offering him a ride across the river, then incompetence for letting that fact get to Erick in the first place…..

  • phatphan

    Charlton Heston may have been prophetic in uttering these words, becausewith the re-election of Harry Reid, the Left retains one of its most dedicated elements. It is beginning to appear that after Mr. Heston’s death, the membership is being put in the position of supporting an unscrupulous politician who will turn on them at the earliest convenient time. Some influential persons in the inner circle of the NRA appear to bebuying the bowl of porridge Reid has peddled, and by doing so, they are laying the groundwork for Heston’s words to happen. Reid’s re-election enables the Left to maintain a loyal “storm trooper” who will brainlessly do its slightest bidding.
    If the NRA continues to support Harry Reid, they are falling for the “siren’s song” of the Left. Reid’s re-election will be disastrous both for the country and the NRA. They will shortly discover what we already know – just how treacherous this man is.

  • Tbone

    “incompetence on the part of the NRA leadership.”

    It appears that Angle needs to address her negatives far more than worrying about the NRA.

    As for Reid, an NRA endorsement could easily be a net vote negative. It will piss off most NRA members, it will sway only a few NRA members, and it will piss off the anti-gunners. But, as long as Reid stays 5+ behind in the polls, the endorsement may never come.

    Consequently, Angle supporters should focus on the major issues that will help her win.

  • acat

    An organization having “been at something” for a long time means only that they’ve been at it for a long time. While it’s nice to think it means something in terms of competence and experience, there are plenty of examples where that’s not the case.

    The NRA is just as vulnerable as any organization of being misdirected, making mistakes, etc. It looks to me like the NRA’s D.C. leadership is not getting outside the beltway enough in this race.

    Mew

  • Tbone

    politics not so much.

  • acat

    Either you’re calling me a partisan, which is just stupid – ain’t no party that wants me, I ask questions and don’t have a fat wallet – or you’re saying the NRA are screwing up by trying to play politics when all they need to do *this* season is be partisans.

    Mew

  • Tbone

    whatever side that is and screw the enemy.

    However, when your business requires you to be able to walk in the greatest number of doors and have your phone call taken by the greatest number of legislators you have to do some delicate balancing while holding your nose.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    many answers are simple but hard

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    exercise in accomodation to maintain market share…under

  • hproesemann

    First I want to state that Harry has to go no matter what. The NRA says they MAY endorse him because if Harry loses, the next democratic majority leader will be Schumer of NY or Durbin of Illinois. Those 2 are worse than Dingy Harry. So, I say we MUST get rid of all these incumbents. Here is NRA`s reply.

    Thank you for contacting the NRA-ILA regarding recent reports that the NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) has endorsed U.S. Senator Harry Reid for reelection.

    For the record, the NRA-PVF has not yet made an endorsement in the Nevada U.S. Senate race. In fact, there have been no announced endorsements for any U.S. Senate seat for the November general elections-period.

    For several reasons, we generally do not announce ratings or endorsements until closer to the elections. There are still votes to be graded and other information to be evaluated prior to issuing an accurate grade as Election Day nears.

    The NRA-PVF looks at the entirety of a candidate’s record. We start with the candidate’s voting record (if any), along with answers to questionnaires, statements and floor speeches the candidate makes on Second Amendment issues, as well as any action the candidate may have taken as a committee member or leader.

    Our endorsements are not given lightly, nor are they issued in every race. An NRA-PVF endorsement is something that has to be earned. As we do every election year, we wait until all the votes are taken and evaluate a candidate’s entire record. Making a decision prematurely, before votes are taken, risks giving politicians a “free pass”-something we can’t and won’t allow.

    It is important to note that the NRA is a single-issue organization. Our ratings and endorsements are based solely on a candidate’s support for, or opposition to, our Second Amendment rights. Other issues, as important as they may be to many people, do not and cannot play any role in those decisions. NRA represents a broad coalition of American gun owners, who are bound together by their support for the right to keep and bear arms.

    For us to factor non-gun-related issues into our ratings would foolishly divide our unified base of support on the Second Amendment. This policy has served NRA and gun owners well over the past three-plus decades, making us the nation’s pre-eminent pro-Second Amendment advocacy group.

    We fully understand that voters must take into account a variety of issues when deciding for whom to vote. We respect that. It is our responsibility, however, to provide voters with information solely on a candidate’s position on gun-related issues so that they may factor that consideration in addition to other issues.

    Admittedly, Senator Reid’s record is not perfect; few politicians’ records are. For a number of years (primarily in the 1990s) Sen. Reid had some problematic votes on our issue. But in the last five years, he has dramatically improved his record on our issue, so the NRA-PVF would be irresponsible if it did not give due consideration to those recent votes and actions. There is no doubt that, as Senate Majority Leader, Reid has supported efforts to protect Americans’ gun rights, both by voting FOR pro-gun measures AND preventing anti-gun legislation from reaching the Senate floor.

    In 2004, Sen. Reid voted against efforts to reauthorize the Clinton ban on “assault weapons” and ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, which are standard equipment for many rifles and for most modern semi-automatic pistols designed for defensive use. Early last year, he flatly stated he would oppose any effort to reinstate an “assault weapon” and magazine ban if the Senate were to vote on it in the future. In 2005, Sen. Reid was instrumental in Senate passage (and eventual enactment into law) of the “Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act” (PLCAA). That law shut down reckless lawsuits against gun manufacturers and dealers, which attempted to hold them liable for the misuse of firearms by criminals. Sen. Reid also cosponsored the PLCAA in the previous Congress and voted against the Feinstein Amendment to ban “assault weapons” and “large” magazines, and the Kennedy Amendment that would have banned most hunting ammunition.

    Sen. Reid voted for legislation, which became law in 2006, to prohibit gun confiscation during states of emergency. He also voted for legislation to allow commercial airline pilots to be armed in the cockpit to protect their passengers and crews .

    In the last two years, Sen. Reid voted for the Ensign Amendment to repeal the Washington D.C. gun ban and restore self-defense rights in our nation’s capital. He cosponsored similar legislation — S.1414 — in the 108th Congress. He also voted for an amendment to allow law-abiding citizens to carry firearms for self-defense in national parks and wildlife refuges. This federal policy change took effect on February 22. In addition, Sen. Reid voted last year for the Thune-Vitter Amendment to provide national reciprocity for state Right-to-Carry permits. Sen. Reid also voted twice for the Wicker Amendment allowing Amtrak passengers to include firearms in their checked luggage. In his capacity as Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid made votes on all of these amendments procedurally possible. And these are but a few examples of Senator Reid’s support and leadership on Second Amendment issues.

    All of which leads to a very serious question for all NRA members and gun owners who oppose Sen. Reid to contemplate: who would take Reid’s place if he loses his race-and his critically important position as Senate Majority Leader? Remember, the Senate Majority Leader is the gatekeeper who decides which legislation will be considered on the Senate floor. If Sen. Reid loses, the next candidate for Majority Leader is very likely to be Charles Schumer of New York or Dick Durbin of Illinois -two of the most anti-gun U.S. Senators in history!

    It is critical to the defense of the Second Amendment that we have pro-gun majorities in the U.S. Congress.

    While no endorsement has yet been issued in this race, nor any other U.S. Senate race for the November general election, rest assured that we will make all of these announcements at the appropriate time and in light of our election policy.

    Thank you for contacting us and please keep an eye out for our grades and endorsements as the election nears.

    Sincerely,
    NRA-ILA Grassroots Division

  • acat

    and I think the NRA is finding this out…

    That is, it’s great for them to be able to walk into Reid’s door, but just how far do you compromise before your backers start wondering if you stand for anything, and leave you standing alone….

    Mew