Florida US Senate Race in NRA Cross-hairs

Millions of National Rifle Association (NRA) members have received in the mail an evaluation of key US Senate races across America. One of those races is in Florida. According to Chris Cox, NRA-ILA Executive Director, “In 1787, weeks after the Constitution was sent to the states for ratification, James Madison wrote that the Senate was ‘the great anchor of the Government’. The same is true today, for two reasons of special concern to gun owners.”

The two reasons laid out by Cox are: 1.) Only the Senate can confirm federal judges including Supreme Court justices and 2.) Treaties can only be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.

The NRA has targeted Florida as one of seven US Senate races of interest to its members. 

Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)

According to the Cox column, “Clear Choices: Key Races Will Determine Makeup of United States Senate”, “Senator Bill Nelson has served for 12 years in the Senate, and has voted many times against the interest of gun owners.” Cox notes that Senator Nelson voted against Right-to-Carry reciprocity; to ban most common rifle hunting ammunition; to gut the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of its most important provisions; and to renew the 1994 Clinton semi-automatic ban.

Cox notes, “If that weren’t enough he voted to confirm both Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. With the historic Heller and McDonald decisions riding on just one vote, one more anti-gun Supreme Court nominee supported by Nelson could be a fatal blow to the Second Amendment.”

FL Rep. Connie Mack

Cox and the NRA note, “His opponent, Connie Mack, has a strong pro-gun record as a member of the US House for the past eight years.”

According to Cox, Rep. Mack strongly supported the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Pact; voted for legislation to protect the rights of gun owners during states of emergency; and supported the Right-to-Carry reciprocity. Mack also voted to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with the investigation into the deadly “Fast and Furious” scandal.

The NRA gives Mack an “A” rating, while Nelson earned an “F” rating from NRA-PVF.