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Apparently it’s go-grab-your-gun day in the GOP Senate primary and both former Congressman J.D. Hayworth and his opponent, Senator John McCain, each picked up endorsements from some big-name gunslingers.
We got an email from Hayworth’s campaign earlier today announcing that Bob Corbin, the former president of the National Rifle Association, was endorsing Hayworth.
Not to be outdone, exactly two minutes later, the McCain campaign sent us an email announcing a gun-lovin’ endorsement of its own: The NRA’s political action committee.
In Hayworth’s announcement, he claims that “McCain’s lifetime NRA rating is C+ for favoring a ban on small, inexpensive handguns, authoring a bill to close the ‘gun show loophole,’ and wanting pilots to carry stun guns instead of hand guns.”
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“C+” or not, the NRA’s current, political brass seems to prefer “The Maverick.”
“John McCain has steadfastly voted against every gun and ammunition ban in Congress,” says Chris W. Cox, chairman of the NRA’s Political Victory Fund. “This along with his commitment to preserving our hunting heritage has earned him the NRA-PVF’s endorsement. We ask all Arizona gun-owners, hunters and NRA members to vote for John McCain in the U.S. Senate Republican primary on August 24.”
Hayworth seems to disagree with the NRA’s assessment of McCain’s record when it comes to guns and boasts his recent “A” rating from the organization.
“Sen. McCain and I have real differences on the issue of guns and gun rights,” Hayworth says. “In fact, the NRA called McCain one of the premier flag carriers for the enemies of the second amendment’.”
Considering some of the other stuff Hayworth’s said over the last few weeks has turned out to be less-than-factual, we’ll have to verify that and get back to you.
