Tooling through parades in a flag-themed Jeep with a faux machine gun mounted on the back apparently wasn’t enough for Secretary of State Kris Kobach to win over the National Rifle Association in the Kansas governor’s race
The country’s largest and most influential gun lobby on Monday instead endorsed Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer in his Republican primary. That left Kobach claiming that he still has the backing of grassroots gun rights voters.
The NRA said its endorsement reflected Colyer’s “strong support for the Second Amendment and the hunting heritage of Kansas.”
An NRA news release also cited his voting record as a state legislator, particularly his support to override a veto of a bill allowing Kansans to carry concealed weapons.
Less than a half hour after Colyer sent out his news release about the NRA support, Kobach responded that a Kansas State Rifle Association survey had recently shown him the top pick of its members.
“It’s not even close among gun owners in Kansas,” the Kobach release said.
Earlier in the day, Kobach announced an endorsement from the far less prominent Gun Owners of America.
Both Kobach and Colyer have received a grade of “A” from the NRA. Kansas Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer, another Republican in the race also received an “A.” Moderate Republican candidate Jim Barnett and all the Democratic candidates have “F” ratings from the NRA.
I am proud to be the candidate endorsed by the @NRA in the race for governor. #2A is the load-bearing wall of the Constitution, it must be protected or the whole institution will come crumbling down. #ksgov #ksleg pic.twitter.com/HWOFl6TRub
— Dr. Jeff Colyer (@DrJeffColyer) July 16, 2018
Scott Canon is digital editor of the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio covering health, education and politics. You can reach him on Twitter @ScottCanon.
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