By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Wednesday, May 24, 2017, the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) announced that the group has endorsed Senator Luther Strange (R) in the upcoming special election for the Senate seat that was vacated when Sen. Jeff Sessions was confirmed as US Attorney General.
The NRA-PVG said in a statement that, “Strange’s leadership on Second Amendment issues as a US senator and Alabama Attorney General has earned him the highest attainable rating, an “A+” from the NRA-PVF in the Aug. 15 Republican special primary election. An “A+” is reserved for a legislator with not only an excellent voting record on all critical NRA issues, but who has made a vigorous effort to promote and defend the Second Amendment.”
The Chairman of the NRA-PVF, Chris Cox said, “Throughout his career, Sen. Strange has shown tremendous leadership in protecting our fundamental right to self-defense. As a champion for gun owners in Alabama and across the country, Sen. Strange is the right person to succeed Jeff Sessions as US Senator.”
According to the NRA-PVF, Strange’s support for the Second Amendment includes: consistently opposing all attempts to ban lawfully owned firearms and magazines; rejecting the gun control agenda of Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, and Michael Bloomberg; voting to confirm Neil Gorsuch, a pro-Second Amendment justice, to the US Supreme Court; voting to strike down an Obama-era regulation that would have stripped Social Security recipients their Second Amendment rights without due process; cosponsoring national reciprocity legislation; and cosponsoring the Hearing Protection Act.
Cox said, “I urge all NRA members and supporters in Alabama to vote for Sen. Luther Strange in the Aug. 15 Special Primary Election. Our right to keep and bear arms is under assault every day and we need Sen. Strange fighting for us in the US Senate.”
The NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) is the National Rifle Association’s political action committee. According to the NRA-PVF the group ranks political candidates irrespective of party affiliation based on voting records, public statements and their responses to an NRA-PVF questionnaire.
Chris W. Cox is the NRA’s chief lobbyist and principal political strategist. He serves as chairman of NRA-PVF, directing NRA’s electoral efforts at every level.
Sen. Strange is expected to get the majority of the mainstream Republican endorsements. Republican super strategist Karl Rove said of Strange, “He’s going to be a mainstream conservative Republican. He’s very smart, really hard-working.” Rove controlled PACs have pledged $millions to support Strange.
There are eleven Republicans seeking the GOP nomination. They include: James Paul Beretta, Joseph F. Breault, Randy Brinson, Mo Brooks, Dom Gentile, Karen Haiden Jackson, Mary Maxwell, Roy Moore, Bryan Peeples, Trip Pittman, and Luther Strange. Eight Democrats are running for the office as well.
The Special Primary election for the US Senate seat will take place on August 15, 2017. If necessary, the major party primary runoffs will be on September 26. The General Election will be December 12.
Luther Strange was elected Alabama Attorney General in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. Former Governor Robert Bentley appointed Strange to the Senate when Sen. Jeff Sessions was confirmed as US Attorney General.
