The National Rifle Association has a long history of favoring incumbents in congressional elections and in at least two of Virginia’s most high-profile contests, in the 5th and 9th congressional districts, that habit finds them backing Democrats over gun rights friendly Republicans.
In the 5th district race, Democratic incumbent Tom Perriello touted his NRA endorsement before it was issued – not entirely surprising as Perriello, who voted for cap and trade, the President’s health care law, the stimulus and other party priorities, is in the fight of his life with Republican state Sen. Robert Hurt over a seat Perriello narrowly won in 2008.
The NRA did send Hurt a nice letter calling him “a true friend of NRA members and Virginia’s gun owners,” though. I’m sure Hurt would have appreciated the endorsement much more than the kind words.
In the neighboring 9th district, long-time Democratic incumbent Rick Boucher earned the NRA nod back in February – right about the time he was dutifully working to help pass cap and trade through the House. His Republican opponent, state House majority leader Morgan Griffith, is also a strong gun rights backer but, like Hurt, lost out owing to the national group’s affinity for incumbents. In Griffith’s case, the lack of NRA backing and whatever financial resources it might bring may hurt more than Robert Hurt’s non-endorsement in the 5th because Griffith badly trails Boucher in the money race. The most recent campaign finance reports show Boucher with a nearly 10-1 cash-on-hand advantage.
But in the longer term, it’s the NRA that may face the biggest challenge. Favoring Democratic incumbents who’ve either mostly (Boucher) or almost entirely (Perriello) backed the President’s agenda in what’s become a strong an anti-establishment year could cost the lobby group more than a few dues-paying members…and certainly make its job of winning access to the newly-minted incumbents it spurned a bit more difficult.
Or at least it will until it endorses them all in 2012.
